


In the depth of the ocean

by KimsyWims



Series: Kirkwall shorts [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Anal Sex, Bad Ideas, Bad Templars are bad, Blow Jobs, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Grey Warden Stamina, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rescue Missions, Sass, Scuba Diving, Shenanigans, Siren Stamina, Siren song, Siren!Fenris, Sirens, Slow Burn, Smut, So many kisses, Veterinary!Anders, diving accidents, evil magisters are evil, kidnappings, shark attack, where did the magic come from?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-13 01:17:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 34,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5689042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimsyWims/pseuds/KimsyWims
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cave diving expeditions goes wrong and Anders is saved by a white haired sea creature. Unfortunately said sea creature is hurt in the process and Anders being the caring man he is, can't let someone who saved his life bleed to death.</p>
<p>However winding up with a creature that isn't supposed to exist and can kill a shark with his bare hands might be more hard work than Anders can handle. Especially since the white haired siren seems very intent on killing him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The first chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A diving expedition goes awry when a shark attack the crew. Anders get's parted from the others his diving equipment is lost. Now he must figure out what to do before he run out of time.

"Come with us diving Anders, it will be so much fun Anders! Knickerweasels! Why the hell don't I listen to myself? Just this once I could have just listened!"

Anders was treading water and bloody damn freezing in the dark. His only source of light was a glow stick tied to his wrist and he was frantically trying not to think about all the shark movies he had seen in his life. The good news was that he had found air, the bad news was that he had lost his oxygen tank, there was still a shark somewhere in the dark waters that he couldn't see and he couldn't stay here treading water forever. 

Why had he even agreed to cave diving in the first place? It was madness and Anders already knew that.

He had given up cave diving years ago for a damn good reason. It had nearly killed him the last time he was down with the wardens, an expert group of scuba divers who explored the cave systems called the deep roads. Anders had sworn that never again would he put on a scuba diving kit and venture down in the pitch dark of the unknown cave systems underneath the sea levels again. 

He had even fled Ferelden, ran all the damn way to Kirkwall where he had opened a veterinarian clinic and bought himself a small beach house in need of renovation. He had started a new life, searched for his old crush, baked pies ( _maker the freedom of eating a fresh baked pie!_ ) decorated his new house and began taking in stray cats. 

Yet, somehow Hawke had found him. Known that he was a grey warden and asked for his help.

Hawke was part of an expedition who had found an old cave system that had once been part of the old deep roads and they promptly wanted a deep roads expert. Anders had been hesitant to follow but Hawke had flirted his way into his heart and after being promised enough of the share to renovate his house to a more cat friendly place Anders had agreed against his own recommendations.  

Of course it had ended in a catastrophe, just as he had bloody well predicted! They had dove down, into the narrow tunnels and straight into the jaws of the largest sand tiger shark Anders had seen in his life. He had lost his diving gear, got parted from the rest of the crew and had just barely managed to survive because he had found an air pocket the direction he had swam. 

There was no tell if the others were even searching for him or if they thought he was long dead, eaten by that bloody shark. So with his luck, Anders was to drown or get eaten down here in the pitch black darkness alone and scared. He could dive down and try to find his equipment to be able to swim back out of the caves, pray to the maker the shark hadn't eaten his equipment. Doing that would probably get him lost and he'd drown instead. 

"Brilliant!" He exclaimed so he wouldn't go insane of the pressing silence. "Just brilliant Anders, a guy bashes his lashes at you and you're so desperate that you go diving to your death. Just bloody brilliant." 

Justice would be so pissed. Justice was his brother, well his name was Kristoff but everyone called him Justice since he had a damn fine sense of justice. They had been in the wardens together and the time Anders had nearly died they both quit. Anders had promised Justice just as Justice had promised Anders that neither of them would venture down in the deep water caves ever again.

He sighed and then looked into the black water. His imagination kindly provided him with images of sticky tentacles and sharp teeth ready to grab and shred him

That was it! He couldn't stay here or he'd go mad within minutes, loose his sense of direction and exhaust all energy he had left. He had taken to the left to get away from the shark, so he'd just have to take the same way back to try to find his equipment and hope the shark had swam off. 

He searched around the pouches on his belt and pulled out another glow stick, attaching it on his other wrist and began to take slow calm breaths. Anders took pride in that he could hold his breath for quite some time if he could just calm himself down enough to take a couple of deep ones. He thought about kittens, a warm bed, watching TV, reading a book, cat videos, pie.

It helped and soon he was taking a deep breath, then another and another until he felt his body and muscles slowly relax and he felt himself ready to take a deep breath and dive back down into the dark water. 

He held the left green glow stick in front of him to provide with at least the slightest dim light as he pulled himself by the help of the rock walls forwards through the narrow cave passages. He hoped his equipment was this direction because if he got lost he would more likely drown when he couldn't find back to the airpocket he had found.

After a while he saw bright white light pierce the dark water and his heart lifted in his chest full of hope. It must be his flashlight, or someone in the crew's flashlight. Whoever the flashlight belonged too it would mean that it was attached to a oxygen tank and he'd be able to maybe actually find his way out of this maze.

He kicked his feet harder in the water and swam out in the slightly larger underwater cave with only the flashlight in his minds. He knew this was risky since this was where they had been attacked by the shark in the first place, but he was already feeling the tension in his lungs from the lack of air and needed that precious oxygen now.

Of course Anders seemed to be followed by an abnormal amount of bad luck. Before he had even got half way towards the flashlight something hard knocked into his side with a loud crack and all he could see was large white teeth inches from his body telling the tale of the return of the tiger shark. 

He let out a pitched scream, loosing a precious amount of air as he tried to twist his body away from the shark that flickered it's body in a new attack. There was nothing he could do this time, the shark knew he was there, his ribs were most likely broken and he was out of air. He just had to accept his fate that he'd end up as shark dinner. 

However just as he expected to feel sharp teeth tear his body apart a bright flash of blue and white shot up between him and the shark. The white was long flowing hair swirling around in the water, the blue were glowing lines across a muscled backside that brightened the water. For a wild moment Anders could have sworn that was a tail but he dismissed it as his brain making things up in loss of oxygen. 

He twirled in the water away from the scene and frantically swam towards the flashlight that was still beaming off a bright light. His fingers grasped the metal and he pulled the control over the tank and pulled a deep gulp of air, then another and another. He turned around to try to figure out what was happening behind him but a hard tail smacked him over the head. 

The victory over reaching his scuba kit evaporated as he sank into utter darkness and he lost consciousnesses.


	2. Of tigers and sharks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris side of the shark attack along with his thoughts of stupid blond humans in his ocean.

Fenris had been minding his own business, lazily swimming the cave system in hunt for pearls or old trinkets he could scavenge. That's also when he had spotted the humans, a group of divers down on deep water, nudging his interests. Humans usually didn't venture down into the depths of the underwater caves, too many things could go wrong down there with their breathing equipment, sharks and other complications. 

When it came to this group, Fenris had seen the tiger shark long before the shark saw them. The shark however saw the humans before the humans saw it and the attack wasn't something the group could dodge. One of the humans lost his breathing equipment and just very narrowly managed to scramble off into a tunnel too narrow for the shark. The other humans swam the other direction, out the same way they had come in.

Fenris had curiously followed the lone human who had lost his breathing equipment. Had figured it to be an easy meal for him without the risk of getting caught by other humans. However, the blond human had proved resourceful, or possibly lucky, maybe a bit of both.

He (Fenris assumed it was a he, but he wasn't sure. Humans didn't have any color patterns or defined fins telling him the gender) had found one of the few air pocket of the cave systems. Instead of a meal, Fenris got curious to see what the human would do next, if he'd manage to get out of here alive or not.

Call it boredom, call it curiosity, he didn't care which, he just followed, watching. 

To his surprise the human only stayed in the air pocket for a short while, then dove straight back into the depths, and Fenris? Well he followed. On a distance of course, he knew better than getting close to any human that he didn't plan to kill. To get spotted and let the human leave with the tale would be an unnecessary danger for himself if word spread to Tevinter and back to Danarius. 

However, the moment the blond human returned to the larger cave, the shark attacked again. It knocked hard into the human that was trying to get to his breathing equipment, knocking him to the side, and Fenris was getting tired of this shark bothering his daily entertainment. He actually wanted to see this stupid human get back up to the surface. So, he dove in between the shark and the human. His brands sparkled alive, the lyrium fuming in an angry blue, illuminating the water around him.

It wasn't something he hadn't done before, battling sharks for prey, usually the sharks were smaller though. he'd usually fight on a larger area where he was allowed more moving around and use of his tail. The human, also was not his prey, he didn't plan to kill the blond.

He wanted to see the human get back above the surface, which in tun meant that Fenris'd be forced to keep clear from accidentally smacking the blond behind him with the poisonous glands on his tail. Which in turn gave from small, to none space to move in. 

The shark was a very large tiger and Fenris realized his mistake in a dodge just moments before it went wrong. He dodged a turn from the shark only to be caught in the next twist of head, those sharp teeth snapped around his hip cutting into his tail without care for the dark blue purple scales. The shark gave him a painful shake, the razor sharp teeth doing what they were designed to do and cut deep into his tail as easy as a blade would have.

In retaliation that he was loosing he slammed his tail against the shark where the venomous barbs were, pressing them into the thick of the shark skin. At the same time he let his markings glow more violently and phased out his hands, clawing them both into the shark's head until it began to twitch and jerk violently. The shark gave a final hard bite before it went lax, dead from it's scrambled brain.

Fenris scratched the gooey inside of the shark brain a few last strokes just to make sure it was really dead, before he forced the jaws open and with a hiss slipped out of the shark's mouth. He was bleeding dangerously but the adrenaline kept him going and he still had the blond human to look out for. Said stupid blond was laying lax at the bottom of the cave floor, tiny bubbles slipping out of his mouth. 

Fenris twisted around and gritted his teeth over the pain that came from his tail. He had endured worse pain before though and all he needed to do was to get the human back up to the surface. Then he himself could scramble off to a narrow cave to see if he could patch the bite back together without getting the wound infected.

The human meanwhile needed air, that was something Fenris knew very well since he had drowned his share of humans over the years. He grabbed for the breathing equipment, took about five seconds to figure how to use it and then pushed the mouthpiece into the human's face and stared at him expectantly.

The blond human... didn't response. Stupid human! How did they even survive when they couldn't even breath underneath the water? there was more water than land in the world, still the humans couldn't even handle more than minutes at max under water.

Fenris wasn't even sure why he didn't just let this human drown. It would provide a nice meal for him and no unnecessary risk for humans to begin hunting sirens in these waters. Though... the human was admittedly pretty, that usually was enough for him to loose his appetite. Pretty and children, those were the two things he didn't kill.

He shifted the mouth piece around in the human's mouth and closed his hand over the blond's lips as well as nose to keep the blond from being able to pull in more water. His other arm he wrapped around the human's middle. When there still was no response he grew frustrated and bit the human sharply in the shoulder. Perhaps that wasn't the most adult thing to do and he half accidentally managed piercing the skin there. 

Childish as it may be, it was effective and did give results. The human jerked awake and Fenris kept his fingers tightly covering mouth and nose, preventing as much water as possible to be breathed in. He was forced to wrap his tail around the other's legs to keep the human from escaping as the human began struggling wildly against his grasp.

It hurt since the tail was badly injured and bleeding, but the human soon stopped his struggling and Fenris watched as the human slowly began focusing on breathing instead of fighting. Fenris slowly let his hands away from the human's mouth and nose but kept his other arm around the blond's middle.

He looked at the human before raising up his free hand and began moving it swift, skilled movements while looking at the human. Sign language was something he had been taught long ago since his voice had a very certain effect on humans that hadn't been _desired_ , just like any other siren's voice.  

 _"Do you understand sign?"_ Was the first he signed looking at the human patiently.

The human stared dumbly at him while breathing out bubbles then pull another deep breath into the mouth piece before slowly nodding in response. Then rose his hands, making out very clumsy _"yes."_ In reply.

 _"You need air, surface. Do not struggle."_ He signed and waited for the human to respond. 

The human however was looking at his tail instead of his hands with wide eyes and Fenris sighed in annoyance before snapping his fingers in front of the blond's eyes. The human quickly snapped it's attention back up to his fingers and face. Fenris was surprised to find that the human looked... concerned. Not frightened nor panicked, just concerned. 

 _"You"_ The human began then looked thoughtful before continuing. _"damaged."_   

Fenris hissed fiercely and snapped his razors harp teeth inches from the blond's face when the human's fingers touched the edge of the bleeding shark bite. The human quickly recoiled and pulled both hands away, raising them up in a peace gesture then signed a clumsy  _"Sorry."_

 _"Surface."_  Fenris signed again and pointed into the dark where the exit was hiding.  _"I will take you to the surface, you will not struggle."_

The human gave a nod and signed a clumsy _"Thank you."_

Fenris wrapped both arms around the blond's middle and the human positioned the breathing gear onto it's own back then grabbed Fenris' shoulders. Fenris pushed aside the discomfort of a human touching him again after all these years and instead he focused on getting them out of the cave and out on open waters again. Hoping that the tiger had been a lone one and that they weren't about to get company.

Luckily out in the open water they were alone, no sharks, no fish, no humans. That'd make it an easy ride. However the closer they got to the surface, the heavier everything felt. His his vision was starting to get dark and his tail numbing up, losing it's feeling. He knew that pain was a lot better than numb. Numb meant that his body was failing, that too much blood was pouring out of the gnash in his tail and he'd end up attracting every predator in the ocean. 

Before he could realize what happened the dark overtook him and he lost concept of everything as the numbness swallowed his body into a comfortable nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is where the fun starts! Or well, fun and fun, not so fun for Fenris perhaps but fun for me as a writer! :)


	3. Rescue missions and lost expedition leaders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isabela loves big boats and she cannot lie, of course our fancy pirate queen has a big boat here.

At first Anders had figured the guy, who had just fought a shark for him, was a man with a small scuba kit and one of those plastic mermaid tails. Maybe he carried a gun or something to take out the shark, Anders didn't know since he hadn't actually been awake to see the shark get taken out. But when he had touched a few of those scales, trying to motion for that the other was injured, they really hadn't felt like plastic or rubber.

However they were still under water, Anders brain was fuzzy after so long time without oxygen and he was both shocked and panicked over what had just occurred. He could have jut imagined things after all and when they got up to the surface safe and sound they would both laugh at him for being so silly, always remember the day they got to know each other as the day Anders thought the other was a mermaid for a wild moment. 

It would be fun, right? The white haired man was one of those professional show people who got payed to pretend to be mermaids all days. He must have a scuba kit hidden somewhere, maybe even in the tail, the lines that were glowing? Glowing water resistant body paint. The scales on hands, shoulders, neck and the gills? More body paint and cleaver makeup skills. What else would it be? 

Besides, Anders wasn't given much time to ponder anything as the white haired beauty had used sign language to tell him they needed to get up to the surface. He internally thanked the maker that Mahariel had taught him some sign back with the wardens or he wouldn't have understood anything of it.

He tried to sign back that the other was hurt but was only met with that they needed to get up, and really, he wasn't in a position to argue it. He couldn't help the other without needle and thread anyway and he didn't have that here under the water. Not to talk about the infection risks and the risks of attracting more sharks to them with all the blood. 

Even though wounded the white haired man pushed them upwards in a speed that should probably be impossible, but hey, he had heard that those mermaid tails actually were very efficient when it came to straight swimming.Though he had no idea how the other was so fast that Anders found that he had a hard time to keep up with leveling out the pressure not to get decompression sickness. 

He tried to sign to the other that he should do it as well but if he let go of the other's shoulder's he'd most likely slip out of his grip and take a lot more extra unnecessary time to get up. He was still worried about that bleeding wound, the other really shouldn't be using his legs this much, but there was little he could do about it other than take care of it once they reached the surface and the ship. 

However, Anders could pinpoint the exact moment the other man had pushed himself too hard and began to struggle. The speed slowed and eventually stopped entirely, the other man's arms that had been tightly wrapped around Anders' middle this entire time went limp.

The fact that the other hadn't fallen unconscious before this was impressive, they were just a few meters below the surface and Anders knew that the cave systems a long, long way down on the ocean floor. 

Anders shifted them around in the water and grabbed the other from behind, one arm under the others's arm and across his chest as he began kicking them upwards. He was concerned with the lack of bubbles that should be coming out of the white haired man's mouth but couldn't seem to find the mouth piece of the other's equipment to put it back into his mouth.

Even if he would have found it, he doubted the other to be able to breath using only his mouth while being unconscious. Instead he focused on getting them up as fast as possible. The surface was so close the sun was even making the water a bright colorful blue and they were so close.

As they  broke the surface he spat out his own breathing equipment, gulping down deep breaths of the fresh sea air while hauling the other man up enough to keep his face up above the water. Never again would he get into the bloody water, and this time for good. He looked around frantically for the ship, eager to get the hell out of there and to the closest first aid kit he could reach.

"Fuck! Where's the ship!" He asked out loud as if would help. "Come on! Don't die on me! We're going to laugh about this while having a barbecue party and cheer over never again stepping a foot into the water." He informed the unconscious man and gave a small shake trying to wake him up.

He needed to get that man out of the water before his wound was un-fixable. Not to talk about the sharks. All this blood must attract every shark within ten miles of them. These water were already shark filled and Anders couldn't fight sharks the way his rescuer had, and his rescuer was in no condition to fight for anything other than survival right now. 

"Shit! Izzy to the left! It's him!" 

Anders could have wept over how good it was to hear Hawke's voice and the sound of a boat engine. He twisted around seeing Isabela's yacht, quietly wondering how the hell he had missed it and why the hell it was here, also where on earth Bartrand's ship were. But it wasn't time for wondering those things right now, it was time for simply being happy that they were there. He took a new grip of the white haired man he began kicking their way to the yacht, soon getting help up. 

"Anders! What the hell is-" Hawke began staring at the white haired man.

"Just get us the fuck out of the water and get me the first aid kit before he bleeds out!" Anders snapped getting up into the boat with Varric's help. He had worked as a doctor before being a veterinarian, he knew to fix first injuries first, talk about it later. "Where is Bartrand and the expedition's ship?" With that he mostly wondered where his bag with his things were right now. Things like needles, thread, bandages and anesthetics. 

"Bartrand abandoned us. I'll tell you about it later. Is that a guy wearing one of those mermaid tails they use on those water show things?" Varric asked as he came over to them.

Anders was about to ask him what on earth else he thought it was but Merrill gasping behind them made him turn around to look at the floor where Hawke was trying to apply pressure with a towel over the huge bite over what was supposed to be legs. Only, what Anders could see that tail was not torn to show legs, only a whiter kind of flesh that looked more fish than human. 

"Merrill, Get Anders the first aid kit. This guy is bleeding out!" Hawke barked out, most likely caught in the rush of trying to save someone. "Anders what do you need me to do?"

Within moments Merrill disappeared and reappeared with the first aid kit and Anders got down on his knees on the opposite side of the white haired guy raffling around in the kit for anything useful. He found bandages, plasters, tape, sterile combine pads and duct tape, but no needles nor thread. The two things he really needed right now.

"For fucks sake! Does anyone have needles? Thread? Anything?" Anders called as he found some painkillers they could use. 

He would have preferred morphine but this was what they had so it would have to do. He tilted the white haired guy's head back and forced him to swallow the pills before he began ordering Hawke around to help pressing the wounds together using bandages, towels, tape and plasters. They would just have to do this until they could get the guy to Anders' place for real stitching up.

Anders really wasn't sure what to make of the flesh underneath the scales either. It wasn't what human flesh looked like, it was too pink, too much like the time he had preformed emergency surgery on a blacktip at an aquarium some years past. Anders was trying hard not to freak out as they were wrapping the bleeding tail up like a tight package, him panicking wouldn't help right now. 

When they had managed to stop the bleeding Anders pulled away from the dark blue purple tail watching  their work to make sure nothing was missed. They had been forced to be careful not to get pricked by the two long pointy dorsal fins that lead from lower back almost all the way down to the almost silky looking caudal fin. Anders didn't know if they were venomous so he had decided that safe before unsafe was for the best in this case.

He leaned heavily to the side of the boat and stared at the creature that laid on his back on the floor breathing slowly. They couldn't bring him to a real doctor. A real doctor would either kill and dissect the guy or put him in a tank for _'observation'_ meaning strange, most likely painful experiments. It was how humans worked with new things. Or possibly they'd put him in a way too small tank at seaworld for displaying to the people.

"Anders... what happened down there?" Hawke asked slowly as he sat leaned the other side of the boat. Both of them covered in blood.  

"Is that a mermaid?" Merrill asked where she sat crouched down some away. 

Merrill was a witch. Or well, a Dalish. A wiccan covenant who worshiped a pantheon of gods and goddesses almost forgotten by mankind. They made rituals and sold pretty rocks and talismans assuring they had magical properties. They also believed in fairy tale creatures like mermaids, elves, monsters and such things. 

Anders usually would just roll his eyes at Merrill's ideas but right now... there was a man with tail instead of legs laying right in front of him. A man with claws, sharp teeth and white markings that he swore could glow blue, scales that dashed over his hands, shoulders, sides of the neck and up teasingly over the impressive abs. A man whom's fingers were webbed, adapted for swimming.

These things weren't just some fancy plastic surgery modification. This was natures own design and Anders couldn't just claim this was a hoax when the creature laid just there in front of him within reach for touch, just as real as himself or anyone on that boat.

He slowly began telling them the story. How he had managed to escape and find that air pocket. How he had returned to get his gear and got knocked over by the shark... he suddenly realized that the pain he had been ignoring in his side might be a lot worse than it felt right now while he was still on the edge of his adrenaline high. 

Merrill sympathetically handed him the pain killers and he swallowed three of them without hesitation. If that was a broken rib, he was going to be in great pain the moment the adrenaline ran low. 

he continued to tell about how he had reached his scuba kit only to get knocked out. How the next thing he knew was waking up with someone's hand covering his nose and mouth to get him to breath into his equipment and not in the water. He also told him how the white haired guy had blacked out just before they had reached the surface and well, the rest they knew.  

He rubbed over the sore spot on his shoulder and found his black wet suit torn from a bite. He was fairly sure that was what had jerked him back awake but not entirely sure where he got it from, he only hoped it wasn't infected by any bacteria which would force him to amputate his arm or something like that. 

"We thought we had lost you. We went back up to get weapons or something to come after you but Bartrand had already left. You know that idol we found? We sent it up with the other team, and poof, we were alone in the middle of the ocean." Hawke said with a frown. 

"Isabela was out cruising and she had seen Bartrands ship leave in a hurry and came over." Merrill said and smiled.

"Call it female intuition."  Isabela called from the rudder. 

"So... what will we do with him?" Hawke asked and looked at the unconscious man. 

"We have to patch him up. If we throw him back he'll be shark food." Anders said and sighed deeply. "I have things at home. I just need help to get him inside and to hold him down if he wakes up. He killed a shark, I bet he could snap me in half just by poking me and I'm fairly sure one of my ribs are broken."

Anders shivered. What if the mermaid, or whatever nightmare of a mermaid this man was, didn't appreciate help? If he turned those shark killing skills on him instead. Or like with wild animals, bit when they were all healed up and ready to go. 

But this man wasn't a wild animal, the white haired man had even showed intelligence enough to use sign language to converse in. Mustn't that mean that he had been in contact with humans for a longer while before? Anders had been with the wardens little less than a year and he had only learned a handful of signs, this man knew them flawlessly. 

He sighed and closed his eyes trying to think straight but he was positively exhausted and the pain was creeping up on him. 

"Nap Anders, I will wake you when we get there." Hawke offered quietly. 

No one needed to tell him twice, without even caring to remove his diving gear or get somewhere soft he just tipped his head back for a nap. 

 


	4. Bathrooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris wakes up in an unfamiliar bathroom and tries to make out what kind of man Anders is.

When Fenris woke up he was in pain. Not a hot raging pain like if he'd been bit by something with sharp teeth, more like an annoying throbbing pulsating pain as if he had swum through a bunch of stinging jellyfishes. The pain throbbed in his tail, from his hip and downwards. It took him a while to remember _why_  he was even in pain, trying to recall what had happened when the imagery of a large tiger shark closing it's jaws around blueish purple scales.

The shark, the human, the attack.  

His eyes shot open as he twisted around to fend off an imaginary shark. The motion made him let out a involuntary loud yelp of the surprise pain. He hissed as he sank back to the position he had been in before and glared down at his tail. It was half thrown over the edge of what he remembered the humans call a bath tub. They used it for bathing indoors, unfortunately it was also human sized. 

Where humans had their knees his tail was folded over the edge, the tip of his caudal fin feeling the cold floor. He silently ran his finger slow and careful along his hip and downwards over the white fabric that someone had wrapped around the upper part of his tail and lower stomach. Underneath it he knew the bite was hiding. A bite he most likely would not have survive had it not been tended to.

It didn't mean he'd be happy about being on land though. Just because someone had stitched him up didn't mean that the person intended to remain friendly. Danarius had stitched him up once, fed him, cared for him, given him a name... Fenris had trusted that human and wouldn't do that mistake twice. 

He looked around in the room he was sitting in. Danarius had called it a bathroom but his bathtub had been a lot larger than this, Fenris had been able to fit his entire tail in that tub. This bathroom was a lot less clean than Danarius', a lot less fancy. This room had a rug with cat's on it, the floor and the walls were in a miss matched pattern of white and blue tiles with different sea life imprints, sand dollars, seahorses, starfishes... it was nothing like Danarius neatly kept bathroom. 

That was somewhat assuring.

However, he didn't have time to check much more as his attention was drawn to the door that carefully opened. The human, the blond one he had saved from the shark stood there, looking worried and uncertain and Fenris glared at him. If dragging him up and trapping him in a tiny tub was payment for saving the human's life he was not amused. Nor would he show any kind of gratitude for his wrapped tail. 

When the human took a careful step into the bathroom Fenris snapped his teeth shut with a loud click and hissed in warning at him. His long pointy ears flickered before laying flat to his head in agitation. He didn't know why the blond had closed his wounds or why he was imprisoned like this, he just knew he didn't trust the human at all. If he needed to, he'd kill him before the blond got the chance to hurt him.

"Hey, easy there. I'm not going to hurt you. Do you understand common? Or you know... spoken language? Can you hear at all?" The blond asked uncertain.

Fenris just glared at him. Didn't feel for letting the other know that of course he knew the spoken language. Didn't feel to do anything the human would want him to do. Didn't want to have a horny human on his tail if he spoke. It was the reason he had been taught sign language to begin with, the effect his voice had on humans who didn't possess a strong resistance and high willpower. Danarius had grown annoyed with it.

"Okay, I will just... do both." The blond said and held his hands up and began signing clumsily while talking. "I am Anders. Five days ago you saved me from a shark. You passed out while trying to get me to the surface and I took you up to stitch your tail so you would survive. I will let you back in the sea when you are healed up again, however right now you must rest and not strain yourself."

Fenris just stared at the human's hand. That was terrible signing and had he not understood the spoken language he would be fairly certain the human was just making funny motions in the air or possibly trying to sacrifice him to some god. The human looked at him for a while expectantly then sighed deeply and Fenris kept away an amused grin that threatened to break out on his face.

"You need to eat. You have been passed out for five days without food. I bought some fish and such from the market the other day. Do you feel up for eating?"

Fenris snorted amused. The human had just signed 'I fish, you up eating.' The human looked insulted for a moment and Fenris felt a slight satisfaction over upsetting the human so easily. With Danarius that had been dangerous, he had been unable to defend himself, but here, he could use both claws, teeth and his voice if he felt threatened.  

_"You sign terrible. Please stop."_ He signed informative and looked at the blond. 

"Oh... okay... so you understand me? You could have bloodywell said so..."

Fenris cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms over the edge of the tub to look at the human with an utterly bored expression to show just how little he cared about what the human thought about him. However that position was very straining and painful for his tail so he had to return to his previous position of leaning his back against the edge of the tub while crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Fine. But you do need to eat and I would need to look at your tail, so I have to call a friend over to lift you out of the tub. Can I do that?" 

The human was... asking permission... that was strange. Not at all what was one to prisoners, however he still didn't trust it. He looked at his claws feigning boredom while really just needing a moment to think. He could chance to trust the human until his tail was fixed couldn't he? Then, when his tail was ready for use again he could kill the blond and drag himself back to the water, hoping it wasn't too far from where they were now. 

_"Fish."_ He signed after a while. 

"Fish?" The human repeated dumbfounded. 

The human had wondered if he felt up for eating, several times now and Fenris had answered. He now was wondering if the human perhaps was slow in the head or something for not understanding simple words. Or perhaps it was just the humans terrible signing and the human hadn't been certain on if it was fish that Fenris had actually signed. 

_"I eat fish. Call your friend if you must, if you do something I dislike. I kill you both."_ He clarified.

"Well, aren't you the cheery type. Fine, stay there... err.. sorry... I'll just... fish. yes, that's, fish."

The human quickly hurried away from the room and Fenris rolled his eyes. This was going to be very trying on his patience.


	5. Booty call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders calls Hawke to get help with the siren in his bathtub, it does not go according to plans.

Anders sat heavily at one of his kitchen chairs with his phone glued to his ear. In front of him there was a tray with fish on, a squid, salmon, tuna and a rockfish that had been cheap to buy fresh. He'd buy more fish later, when he knew what the prickly mermaid or siren, or whatever it was that was occupying his bathroom actually liked.

The radio was playing a steady stream of constant David Bowie songs to honor the artist's passing in the background. Anders had, ever since he was twelve and put into the adoption system, loved that kind of music. Everything between the seventies and the nineties were brilliant and David Bowie was the first musician he had grown fond of since he had first been able to turn on a CD on his own. 

When he had been sixteen Justice had taken custody of him and taken him from Kinlock foster care institution after Anders had been accused of abusing one of the foster care's personal. Anders had claimed he had only protected himself from getting raped but no one believes a sixteen year old with six escape attempts and getting into fights in his backpack. Except for Justice. He had just turned twenty at the time and Anders had been signed over, with him as guardian. 

After that, there was no more escape tries, no more getting into fights, no more bad grades. Anders had been allowed to grow and excel. He had done a doctor education and had a reputation of a brilliant diver. A reputation he would never again let anyone play on to get him back to diving, two near death experiences were bloody well two too many. 

Now he just sat there and hummed to one of the songs on the radio, lost in the familiarity of the melody and entirely missed that Hawke had picked up on the other line. That of course until he sang loud and rather false with the Anderfell's version of David Bowie's Heroes.  "Gubt uns eine chance. Doch können wir siegen, für immer und immer." That's when Hawke broke out laughing and Anders stopped singing while sitting stiff by terror.

"Are you serenading me with your awful eighties music, Anders?" Hawke asked in his charming teasing way. "And was that Anders I heard? You know, your name is really good if I ever forget where you're from." 

Anders flushed bright red. He was just happy Hawke couldn't see it through the phone. Damn he really was sold on Hawke and now he was making himself seem like a complete idiot by singing loudly while waiting for someone to pick up their phone. What sane person did that? 

"I ah... err." Anders began but was cut off bu a lovely chuckling. 

"Anders, if you want to Neflix and chill, you just have to ask." Hawke flirted with ease. "You don't actually have to sing."

"Well, if you are offering." He heard himself reply dumbly.

Had he been the man he had been five years ago, he wouldn't have blushed this hard over this, but damn, now his usually pale skin was flushed red like a tomato. The awful part was that he really, really wished Hawke would be serious in his question, Anders hadn't gotten laid in an embarrassing amount of time and he had it hard for Hawke, really hard, especially for Hawke in nothing but boxers as he had swapped into his clothes for diving... which Anders may or may not have been around to see.

There was a pause on the line and Anders felt his entire chest knot up in painful fear over having screwed it up royally for making that stupid, stupid last remark. He was about to make a silly joke of it all so they could laugh it out and go back to normal, when Hawke spoke up again, sounding more serious and more flirtatious all at once if possible. 

"Well, what if I am?" 

Anders stared at the tray of fish in front of him in disbelief. Did Hawke feel the same thing for him as he did for Hawke? Hope began rushing him, giddiness made him start bouncing his foot up and down quickly trying to think up something quick and clever that would keep Hawke's interest in him. 

"Then I assume you bring the drinks?" 

A little laugh was heard from the other line. "I will, anything else?" 

Anders looked thoughtful then cursed, right! The mermaid man that lived in his bathroom! That was why he had called Hawke in the first place. It was also why he had fish in front of him on a tray waiting to be eaten. It's strange how easy Hawke made him forget about everything else.

"I need you to lift the mermaid or err, siren or whatever Merrill decided she knew he was, out of my tub so I can check on the stitches."

"Of course, I will come over in an hour. And Anders? Have any large at home?"

Anders blushed brightly again, his cock was certainly stirring thinking about Hawke and what size Hawke must have to fit that large body. How the hell his body managed to push blood down between his legs and up to cover the impressive blush he was sporting he would never know. He nodded his answer before remembering he was still on the phone and Hawke couldn't actually see him nod.

"I... yes. Got what we err need."

"Great! See you in an hour."

With that Hawke hung up and Anders scrambled up from his chair quickly to get a shower before Hawke got there. If they were going to do this he wanted to look as good as possible for Hawke, also make the house at least a little bit more respectable.

The siren in his bathroom he had yet again forgot all about.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No this is no Hawke/Anders fic. This is a fenders fic and we will get there soon enough! :) You will see why this little fling will be important later!


	6. Squid, Rockfish, Salmon and Tuna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders remembers he has a siren in his tub, a siren he promised to get food for.

Fenris had patiently waited for the stupid human, (Anders his name was), to bring him food. But when he heard water downstairs then things being moved around he gave up the idea that he was about to get any food at all. Not that he was concerned, he could go ten days without food in a crisis, thirteen before he began passing out and his tail loose size and weight.

He had gone longer without food than five days before. His stomach, however, did growl in protest over the time without food and he shifted slightly to curl up a bit to himself, trying to get more of his tail down into the water with him. The parts out of water was slowly getting uncomfortably dry and his scales were getting itchy. 

Of course, moving, only made him hiss in pain as the shark bite made itself reminded. He gritted his teeth and sank back to the same position he had been in to begin with and glared disgusted at the white cloth wrapped around his tail, as if that was to blame for all his troubles. It did actually cause his back fins to be uncomfortably folded, not that it hurt, it was just uncomfortable.

Instead of moving his tail down the water he began shoveling water up over his it. Water slipped over his purple blue scales and ended up on the floor with loud splashes, wetting floor, walls and the hideous rug that laid on the floor. Not that he cared though, he didn't even want to be here so the human had to simply blame himself for putting him in a place with too little space for a siren. 

However the splashing did attract the human's attention and after not long, the door opened as Anders came back inside. Fenris shot him a challenging glare, he wouldn't let the human chew him out for wetting the floors while being in need to wet down his tail. Though, the human had a slight blush and looked as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't. 

"I errm... sorry that took so long. I brought you food though! I.. do you want them cooked?" The blond carefully avoided the puddle of water on the floor as he put a tray with fish on the toilet seat. Fenris watched as the human moved the rug aside before crouching down beside him. "I got you some salmon, tuna, squid and rockfish... I don't know what you like." 

Fenris curiously watched the human moved the tray to the edge of the bath instead, close enough to his hands so he wouldn't have to move around to grab what was on it. Anders also wore a kind smile that made his scales itch of suspicion, no one smiled his direction like that without looking for something.

Not that Fenris trusted any smile given to him, the kind smile just put him on edge. But he was hungry and there was food within reach of his hands and possibly the humans smile meant the food would only be there for so long... he quickly snatched the squid and pulled it in under the water to clean it the best he could with his fingers. If it was drugged or poisoned it might be washed away if he just cleaned it properly. The human said nothing, just curiously watched. 

Fenris huffed at him before biting off the tentacles first, chewed it happily. There was no strange flavor or stingy after taste, nor did he feel any effect from any kind of drug so he quickly devoured the squid, bite after bite and finally licked his fingers free of any leftover fluids. He loved squid, if he would get to choose, they would have been alive, but this was better than no squid at all.

When he was sure he had licked off every last taste of squid from his fingers he grabbed the rockfish, repeated the cleaning of it before crunching it all down, bones and scales crushing under his sharp teeth as if the fish was nothing more than the delicate flesh. He ignored that the human was getting even more pale beside him and instead enjoyed his meal. 

The salmon and tuna wasn't as tasty, he had always preferred shellfish, squid and deep sea fishes above these fishes but since he was hungry and couldn't really afford being picky he stuffed down those fishes as well. 

When he was done he spat out a bone and rolled it between his fingers before stuffing it back in his mouth and crushed it between his teeth before swallowing. He didn't like to eat bone but he figured it'd be a nice show for the human, a mute warning to keep the other from trying anything funny. The look Anders had on his face made Fenris smirk and feel a bit content with himself for having grossed the other out. 

"So... more squid?" Anders asked a bit shaky. 

_"Yes. I enjoy deep sea fish, shrimps and clams."_ He easily signed and shrugged. 

"Alright, good. I will fix that... how does your tail feel? I put in more anesthetics this morning, I will get you another shot when Hawke comes here, to dull the pain."

Fenris reached down and stroke over the tail slowly. It was fine as long as he didn't move around too much, a dull throbbing instead of the sharp stabbing pain it should be. He was not certain he enjoyed that Anders had given him a shot but... if it kept the  pain at bay an did not keep him unconscious he could accept it. 

_"Will there be scars?"_ He signed and glanced up at Anders. 

"Oh... I, don't know yet, I'll know when I take it up and look at it." The human offered. 

He sounded sincere and Fenris nodded slowly. He already had scars, Danarius had left them all over his body, breaking scales of his tail just to leave his scars... he silently slid a finger over one of the lyrium markings before looking back at Anders who was still sitting crouched down beside the edge of the tub. It looked rather uncomfortable, but Fenris didn't really care. 

"So, what is your name?" Anders asked with a little smile. 

Fenris signed out the name he had once been given by Danarius. He had no other name to use and he quite enjoyed having a name. In his mind that proved  he was a person, not a thing, it proved he couldn't be owned because people owned things, not other people. He liked that in the end, what made Fenris break free from the man from Tevinter was that, that stupid human had given him a name. 

"Fenris huh. Well, that is a nice name, I like it." There was ringing sound and Fenris looked up confused. "And that is Hawke. I will come right back and we'll get a look at that tail."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote several chapters today, a bit shorter but hey, I'll just give you two today and two tomorrow :) Hope you enjoy!


	7. Scallops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke comes over, Fenris loves sea urchin but he's not very fond of Hawke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaand this is about as far as the Hawke/Anders thing goes. This is after all a fenders fic! :3

Hawke had come over, a wall kiss had been shared and the prompt promise of their Netflix and chill night actually happening. They had also managed to move the Merman/siren down to the kitchen so Anders could check up on the stitches. The reason they had put Fenris down on the kitchen table was that the kitchen had the best lights in the entire house.

Anders did plan on eventually having a room where he could have his equipment to do his veterinarian job even at the house for stray or wild animals who needed his help. His house was a constant place for stray cats, some he kept and some wanted to leave when they were all healed up and Anders took pride in being able to make the world just a little bit better for the animals he took in. Sometimes his skills were even used on his friends when they did something stupid, (which Hawke did a lot.) 

Fenris was currently laying on his stomach, arms dangling over the edge while the tail laid over the table, the tip of it falling down out over the edge, obviously too tall for even the table. The siren or merman or... whatever he was, was glaring hatefully at ser-pounce who was lazily splayed out just out of reach on the floor for the white haired man laying on his table. 

Hawke was standing on the other side of the table, looking curiously at the scaled tail but didn't touch. He had tried to touch one of the white lines when they had let Fenris down and Fenris had answered by snapping his teeth with a loud clack then twisting around to swipe at Hawke with his claws. He hadn't reached but Hawke had got the message not to touch him unless it was necessary.

Anders, who wasn't only just a veterinarian but also a doctor knew that mostly people wanted to be asked permission before being touched which is why he never touched Fenris without asking first and waiting until he had given a sign that he was allowed to.  

When Hawke had asked about the white lines, the siren had ignored him in favor for glaring at ser-pounce. Anders had decided not to push the siren about the lines either but was getting more and more certain that the lines weren't there voluntarily and he knew that Fenris' trust in him was already _very_ thin. He hoped that by giving Fenris fish and squid, he had made the siren a bit more trusting of him, but... he _really_  wasn't certain. 

"Hawke, in the fridge, bottom box. There is a bag of fresh scallops, would you please give them to Fenris?" He asked as he glanced up from his work on the stitches. 

Right now, Anders really just wanted Fenris to stop glare at his cat as if it was dinner, because he was quite certain ser-pounce would do something stupid and end up on siren menu before the night was over.

The tactic worked however because Fenris quickly swapped his focus up to Anders then over at Hawke who had walked to the fridge to grab the bag. Seemingly forgetting everything about ser-pounce for the moment and Anders could relax as he returned to examine his work, tightening a few stitches while taking two out entirely. 

"Is that a sea urchin?" Hawke asked and looked up from the fridge.

Fenris quickly pulled up on his elbows and made a low sound that could definitely be excitement, or possibly want and Anders smiled a bit proudly. He had bought the sea urchin because the color reminded him of the sirens tail and on a whim thought that maybe Fenris would like it, if not for eating, maybe for company? That's why it was still alive. 

"Yeah, watch it though, it's alive, also poisonous. Please give it to him too?" Anders asked and returned to Fenris' tail.

"Why do you keep poisonous living things in your fridge?" Hawke asked and grabbed a plate to scoop the blue purple sea urchin up with.

"It is just a few of the spikes, the inside is really good. Mostly in sushi." Anders said with a little laugh. 

Hawke held over both scallops and sea urchin and Fenris grabbed for the spiky little creature with his bare hands, no care whatsoever about the fact that it was poisonous. Anders wondered if maybe Fenris was immune to sea urchin and other poisonous fishes in the ocean. The siren easily clawed on the underside until he managed to get it open with his fingers, where a regular human would have needed a knife.

Hawke just stared as Fenris began scoping out the insides and stuffed it in his mouth like if it was candy. Well, maybe sea urchin for Sirens were like candy. Anders was suddenly happy he stood on the wrong side to be able to see Fenris' mouth, because sea urchin and scallops were very slimy and gross looking when they weren't cooked.

"That... would gross Carver the hell out! We so have to show him that some time." Hawke said as he was still staring at Fenris. 

"He's not a zoo attraction Hawke." Anders chided calmly. 

"I know, but you know, our friends will want to meet with him sooner or later."

"Ask Fenris, he's the one in charge."

Anders had already decided the moment Fenris woke up that he'd be in charge of who met with him and who saw him, just like any patient he would treat in a hospital. Just because Fenris had a tail instead of legs and ate seafood raw, didn't mean he didn't deserve basic human rights, it wasn't one of Anders' cats. 

"Fenris, what do you say huh? Wanna gross out my little brother?" Hawke asked with his cutest puppy face that a very few people could resist. 

Fenris had just swallowed the last of the uni, including licking the inside of the shell clean and had just grabbed a handful of scallops wen Hawke asked his question. The white haired man rolled his eyes then signed an quick and easy; no before bending a scallop open. When he managed that he grabbed the slimy inside and stuffing it into his mouth, just like with the sea urchin while keeping eye contact with Hawke. 

Anders had seen Fenris chew with his mouth shut, he had actually eaten everything with his mouth shut except for the last bone that Anders' was fairly certain was only eaten to send a message. And clearly right now he was out to gross Hawke out because Anders could hear the loud squishy sound of the fresh scallop that was being ground between those sharp teeth. Hawke paled up slightly before breaking eye contact and looked at Anders instead.

"What did that mean?" Hawke asked sounding a bit disgusted. Hawke had never been much for seafood and such even when cooked. "Yes?"

"No, that was a no." Anders said and chuckled. "Seems he's immune to your charm Hawke."

Hawke huffed and looked at Fenris in a way Anders would have liked him not to. It was one of those calculating looks Hawke gave before he began flirting with someone. Usually it didn't bother him that much but right now... well... he was kind of hoping that this night would actually end in something... more? Between the two of them.

However, before Hawke had time to say something Anders announced that he was finished with his examinations and that everything was fine, or as fine as things could be after being attacked by a tiger shark. They easily moved Fenris back up to the bathtub, but not before Fenris had grabbed both the sea urchin shell and the scallops (both empty and still filled), holding them tight as he was put back in the bathtub. 

After a quick crash course of the taps him and Hawke headed back downstairs to the living room, deciding to watch the Jurasic park movies. 

They barely even got to the part where they all sat in the helicopter on their way to the island, before Hawke was over him working on his pants and Anders excitedly could think of nothing else but, 'yes, this is happening'.


	8. A weekly routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris finds himself pulled into Anders' daily routine. He can't complain about all the food he gets.

A week had passed since he woke up in the human's bathroom. Six days to be precise, Fenris had scratched a line into the bathtub for each time the moon had passed in the little window above him. No doubt the human wouldn't appreciate that later on but Fenris didn't really care, if the human didn't want his tub ruined then he shouldn't have put a siren in it.

However, the blond human wasn't as terrible as he first had thought, even if Fenris got incredibly tired of listening to Anders and his constant blabber about things he didn't care about, the human wasn't hurting him. The human actually didn't do anything to him unless he consented to it and that was... strange for Fenris. Not what he had come to expect from the human race.

His days would look pretty much the similar. In the early morning Anders would come in with a bag of shrimps for Fenris and a bowl for himself. The food the blond ate was something white and liquidy but that crunched. Anders had offered him some but it had been vile and sweet tasting in his mouth and he'd never accepted a second taste.

Around midday Anders would return to him with some sort of fish or squid, only once had that been salmon because Anders hadn't been able to find anything else that was fresh. Fenris didn't really mind, he'd probably never been this well fed in his entire life, not even out in the seas. While he ate Anders would sit on the floor beside him chatting about things Fenris mostly just tuned out in favor of focusing on his food.

After lunch Anders would either get in directly after work when the sun was still shining, or he'd be in somewhere after dark. Those days he'd spent some time with Hawke and his friends but he always brought Fenris back some scallops, sea urchin, crawler fish or other delicious treats that Fenris loved. 

Anders always chatted about Hawke, or his cats. Fenris assumed these two things were what made the blond happy, but he wasn't sure, because he always sounded a bit sad when he chatted about Hawke, sad but hopeful. Fenris didn't understand nor did he care about finding out, he wasn't fond of Hawke, well to be fair he wasn't fond of any human, he tolerated Anders because Anders brought him food. 

Or so he thought.

This night though was different. Anders had been out until quite late, the moon was already showing in the little window in the roof and Fenris had started to accept the fact that he'd most likely not get his evening scallops tonight. Then Anders had come back home, but he'd been distant. Fenris had got his usual bag of goodies but Anders hand't spoken, he'd just sat down and stared at the bathtub edge.  

Fenris swallowed down another silky scallop then put the bag down in the water by his tail before folding his arm over the edge and laid his head on it while the other hand reached out to gently nudge Anders' knee. The movement made Anders jump startled and Fenris arched a brow at him.

Fenris hadn't touched Anders before except for the time in the ocean so he supposed it was to be expected that Anders got spooked by being touched by a siren. Most beings found him quite terrifying and to be honest he had killed his share of humans just for food.

"Sorry? Did you want anything?" Anders asked distraught. 

_"You are silent."_ He signed and shrugged.

He wasn't even sure why he cared, or why he tried to make the human start to talk again, he found Anders constant blabbering annoying... or perhaps not as much anymore. During the week he had managed to grow used to the blond's voice and it felt empty and silent without it. 

"Oh, right. Well yeah, It's just, I mean... I think me and Hawke is together? But I don't know and he's flirting." Anders paused and frowned. "A lot... I mean, he always did, I just thought that maybe I would be enough, you know?"

Fenris blinked. No, he didn't know, he knew nothing about such things. He only knew that he didn't like how Anders was looking, sad and defeated, a bit lost as if Hawke had somehow broken Anders' smile by flirting. He liked it better when the annoying human babbled his ears off because at least he would smile and look happy when he did.

Fenris wondered when exactly that had become something he cared about. He couldn't trust Anders just because the human fed him and stitched up his tail, Danarius had done that too... but Anders was nothing like Danarius, Anders was softer, in his words, his way of acting and moving were... Well, more clumsy, he had seen Anders walk into the door at least twice and drop his black speaking device at several occasions. But Fenris liked that, it made him less dangerous. 

"Right, I suppose you think this all is stupid don't you? Does mermaids have love problems? Or do you all just look pretty and perfect and find your perfect partner?" Anders asked curiously.

Fenris snorted and held his hands up to sign.  _"I would not know. I am no mermaid."_

"Merman then? Isn't it the same thing?" Anders asked with the hint of a smile. 

_"A mermaid is a woman, a merman is a man. I am a siren."_

Anders looked at him interested, some of that sadness was replaced by curiosity and the human shuffled slightly closer. Fenris laid his head sideways on his arm again, watching the human as he approached the tub.

"But you can't  talk, doesn't sirens sing people into their deaths? They do in pirates of the carribbean. Wait, no that was mermaids..."

Fenris chuckled lightly at Anders before reaching for another scallop and cracked it open to let it slide into his mouth. He needed a moment to think about what to say and chewing gave him just that. Anders looked slightly pale but Fenris simply ignored it, he had even chewed with his mouth closed, it couldn't be that disgusting. It was how he ate things and would continue to eat things even if Anders preferred his own white liquid and crunchy thing. 

_"I can talk but prefer not. My voice... it affects humans."_ He finally settled for and dropped the empty shells into the water.

"How?" Anders immediately wondered.

Fenris clicked his tongue and smirked at the human. He remembered the moans and sounds the blond had given off when the Hawke human had been here some says ago. He had to admit those sounds had been very tempting and they had inspired to some daydreaming of his own. 

He wiggled his finger to motion Anders closer and the blond obeyed without question, foolish human, Fenris might as well kill him. Luckily, Fenris no longer felt any urges to kill Anders. Fenris wouldn't throw the hole blast of his at the blond, his tail was sore and he would prefer if Anders didn't get mad at him for quite literary talking him into sex. 

_"Closer."_ Fenris prompted with his hands. 

Anders nodded, sitting so close their noses nearly brushed. Humans were a lot warmer than sirens, something he had loathed bout Danarius but that wasn't so bad with Anders. He could even imagine scenarios where that heat could possibly be comfortable, but he quickly pushed that thought aside so he wouldn't do something stupid that he'd regret later.

"Anders. Do you really wish me to speak?" He asked in a low voice, almost a whisper

Anders took a deep breath before stumbling over his consent. "Yes! Maker, yes. I want.." Fenris didn't have time to parry as the blond pushed forwards, hot lips against his own and he stared dumbly at the human who had his own ember eyes closed while pressing his lips to Fenris'. Usually it wasn't this easy to influence the human mind.

Only humans who were deeply depressed, lonely or desperate for love, gave in for just a mumble. It confused him, because Anders always seemed like he was happy, he was at least smiling.

He strained his memory, pulling everything Anders said about Hawke to memory, and understood. Anders were so lonely it hurt, he was so lonely he would come to talk to a siren who didn't even speak back, three times a day and spent hours babbling. Because no matter what Anders said, Fenris wouldn't judge him, he didn't care enough to even listen to all the human had to say, but it was enough for the blond.

Fenris gently answered the kiss by moving his lips slightly and stroke his hand through blond tresses. He wanted to do that, at least once, thought that Anders wanted that. Then he gently pushed the blond back, watching as Anders shook his head and blink in confusion. 

"Makers breath... I am so sorry! I don't know why I just... was... that your voice?"

Anders looked horrified an Fenris nodded slowly. He was uncertain if Anders felt repulsion for the kiss or if it was something else. He felt a bit bad over kissing back, Anders after all, wouldn't even touch him unless he gave his permission. Kissing was... very different for humans than they were for sirens. Humans were a lot more picky with who'm they kissed.

_"The fault was mine, I thought it would not be so easy. I apologize."_ He signed apologetic. 

Anders shook his head "No... I... I asked you of it, wow... well I... thank you?" The blond asked sheepishly.

Fenris snorted and grabbed for the last scallops and leaned back. Anders no longer looked sad. His mission was accomplished and he felt comfortable to return to his food.

Anders sat with him for a while longer before heading to bed with a last little smile and a shy goodnight before the door closed behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I planned to be all calm and collected and not post this until Wednesday but I just! I can't wait! I needed Fenders kiss out there so, Here you go! The chapter I planned on sending out Wednesday. 
> 
> This obviously mean that I might not send out a chapter on Wednesday since I have nothing written... But I will write the rest soon enough! I'm so excited for this one!


	9. Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders is hurt, Fenris tries to comfort him. However, sirens aren't really meant to comfort humans, are they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another chapter? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I really should keep these so you get some sort of regular updating schedule during the weeks shouldn't I? 
> 
> Ah well! I'm in a writing mood so here you go! Another chapter and more *wiggle wiggle* *See end for notes*

Fenris had been in Anders' bathtub for eighteen days now, it was getting increasingly wearing on his tail that he had to have folded over the edge of the tub in order to fit his body into the water. The only time he got to actually stretch his tail out was the times they picked him out and carried him down to lay on the table as Anders was checking up on the shark bite on his tail.

According to Anders, the bite was looking a lot better, but he wanted to see all the stitches fall out before releasing Fenris back into the sea. Fenris suspected Anders simply didn't want to be left alone in the house again and was postponing his release unnecessarily.

Fenris should have been pissed at that, should demand to be allowed back out into the ocean again... but he didn't. He kept telling himself that he stayed because Anders fed him. He'd never had such a steady supply of food before and it would be stupidity not to let his tail fill out properly when he was given food this freely. He had the nagging thoughts in the back of his minds telling him he'd miss Anders constant chatter, but he quickly dismissed it before they could take proper root.

He had grown used to Anders constant chatter and seeing him three times a day, _**used**_ to it, not  ** _fond_** of it. As long as the human accepted no for an answer if Fenris didn't feel for answering questions, he didn't mind it too bad. 

After this long time with the blond, Fenris had noticed hat Anders was far less emotionally stable than he had originally thought. Anders often doubted himself, doubted his worth or took things that people had said to him a bit too personal. Anders didn't let it on to others but when he spoke to Fenris the human simply didn't seem to have any barriers, he just let his entire heart out for Fenris to hear. 

Another interesting thing Fenris had noticed was that Hawke the human, The man he was quite certain Anders was in a relationship with according to all blabbering, was making everything worse. A night out with Hawke and his friends would make Anders more doubtful of himself than ever, question if he was enough for someone like Hawke as if Hawke was so much better than Anders himself. 

Fenris hated it. He hated Hawke and what he did to Anders. 

Fenris had met Hawke a handful of times in person, Anders still wasn't healed up enough to lift Fenris out of the bath and down to the table so Hawke still had to do that. He had also met the other people Anders called friends. The annoying human woman who called him merman and sent him hopeful looks begging him to answer her stupid questions. The woman with pretty gold necklaces and earrings that were as flirty as Hawke (He didn't like her either). There was also the talkative man who tried to get Fenris to tell them about some kind of underwater society that Fenris was fairly certain didn't exist. 

The one he liked best of the humans he had met (aside from Anders that is) was the dark haired smaller lady Hawke human. She had brought him what she called sushi once when she had been over. He didn't care for the white thing she called rice very much, but the fish, sea urchin, shrimps and the taste of the seaweed he liked a lot.

There was a redhead woman and a brunette man that didn't talk much to him or even tried to get contact with him so he didn't have an opinion about them other than that they were humans and less annoying than Hawke, the woman with gold necklaces and the wide eyed woman. 

As he had met with all these people he had noticed that the Hawke human didn't necessarily mean to hurt Anders, it was merely his way to be. The flirts and innuendos came in a flow that seemingly was unstoppable. It still pissed Fenris off and he didn't like him at all, especially when he suggested dirty things. Even if they were only meant as jokes, they still hurt Anders. 

This day had been just as any other day. At morning and midday Anders came with food and chattering as always, Fenris listened, as always, while eating his food. Anders had told him that he'd be late since he'd be out with his friends that night. Then he'd left and Fenris had just leaned back to stare up into the sky through the window. There was not much other things to do unless one of Anders' cats came in for a staring contest. 

However, Anders didn't show up that night. Not even when the moon was high in the window and it was long past the time Anders usually came home after a night out with his friends.

Not that Fenris was concerned. 

Anders might just have decided to stay with Hawke that night. It wasn't like Fenris would starve just because Anders didn't give him his evening meal. After all, out in the ocean he never ate three times a day like he had done here, and several of the scallops that littered the bottom of the tub weren't empty. He was saving in case he wanted something to eat later.  

What he hadn't expected to happen that night was the door opening downstairs several hours later. It pulled him out of his light sleep putting him on the immediate offence, just in case something was wrong. He shifted around slightly until he had his upper body turned to the side while the tail remained hanging over the edge.

As he listened he could hear someone move around down in the kitchen, the familiar sound of the fridge clicking open then close. Fenris cast a glance to the window, the sky was partly still dark, slowly shifting into purple and pink.

Very early Morning then.

He silently wondered what had kept Anders out for this long, if he had been with Hawke surely he would halve slept the entire night at the other man's house wouldn't he? What reason would there be as to why Anders was coming home now? He wasn't worried... this was perfectly natural curiosity he tried to tell himself.

He heard steps in the stairs and a tired "Not now mister paws." The voice, Fenris realized, was broken and harsh, it made his chest tighten in an unknown emotion. Anders sounded sad, there was just one person Fenris could think of that could have made Anders that sad and it made his blood boil of anger.

Anders stepped into the bathroom, eyes red and puffy, looking like walking death as he slumped down beside the tub and down to the floor. The usual bag of shrimps was set down close enough for Fenris' to reach on his own. However Fenris didn't really care about the shrimps, they were unimportant for him while the blond looked this sad and hurting. 

Fenris reached out and managed to nudge Anders' knee where the human sat with his arms wrapped around his chest.

"Not... not now." Anders said brokenly with a little sniffle. 

Fenris frowned and grabbed the human's knee and gave a little shake, trying to get Anders' attention. Anders huffed annoyed and glared at him, pulling away from his hand angrily.

"I said not now!" Anders snapped. "You wouldn't understand anyway! You're just a fish, fishes don't have problems! Or you know, feelings! You don't care about me, no one cares about me! Everyone just care about the things I can give them. So just eat your stupid raw food and ignore me as you always do." 

Fenris quickly recoiled to the outburst of Anger. Anders had never ever called him a fish before and Fenris felt a little pang of hurt over it. But Anders was hurt as well, this was just Anders lashing out because of the hurt Hawke must have put inside him. He watched as Anders angrily wiped tears from his eyes. Something big had Happened and Fenris couldn't help until Anders did what he did best, blabber his ears off.

Fenris carefully leaned against the edge of the tub, silently watched, waited, observed until he deemed it safe to reach out again, this time just resting his hand on Anders' knee, waiting without nudging nor shaking. 

It only took minutes for his wait to bear fruit. "Am I that bad that he need someone else in beside just to be able to be with me?" Anders finally asked quietly. "Hawke... I saw him make out with Cullen. Had his hand down his pants and everything." He mumbled. "I... I don't look so bad do I? Cullen is blond too, sure a lot more muscles but... I could start to work out?" 

Anders finally looked up at him, wide ember eyes, begging for any sort of reassurance. Fenris blinked, what was he supposed to do? He had no expertise of this what so ever. He had never had siblings or family of what he could remember, he had only ever comforted a crying child once who's parents had died in and accident and that time it had been enough to flicker his tail.

Somehow he figured that would be inadequate to make Anders smile again. He slowly shook his head without breaking eye contact with Anders. He wasn't bad to look at, he was quite attractive if Fenris would have to admit it. 

"Is it too much to ask that he just want... me? That I'd be enough?" 

Another shake of Fenris' head. 

"I love him. Should I just... I don't know... be okay with it? It was just... this once right?"

Fenris sighed deeply and shifted around slightly until he could reach Anders' wrist and gave an easy tug. Anders followed without argue closer to the tub. Anders was too kind for his own good and Hawke didn't deserve to hurt Anders any longer. He'd show Anders that. However when Fenris tugged up Anders' shirt the human blushed and began to struggle against his hands. 

"Fen! what are you doing?" Anders asked with a nervous little laugh. A good enough sign for Fenris not to back down.

_"Trust me."_ He signed and looked at Anders tilting his head. _"Shirt and pants off."_

Anders stared at him for a while in confusion as he chewed his lip, obviously weighing his options in his head. "Fine... but no laughing at my underwear and no funny business." The blond finally relented. He didn't begin stripping out of his clothes until Fenris had rolled his eyes and nodded. Silly human, Fenris still didn't understand why they all so stubbornly  wore all those layers of cloth. They all had the same parts didn't they? 

However he couldn't resist to curiously look at the soft expanses of freckled pale skin that appeared as Anders pulled his clothes off. He looked down at his own dark tanned skin, moist from the constant supply of water, then over at Anders dry, yet soft skin. He reached forwards to touch Anders' legs with curiosity. He never understood humans and their legs, how did they maneuver two of them at the same time without stumbling or falling? 

He pulled his hand back however when Anders made a squeaky sound as he had squeezed the human's thigh. Fenris felt his cheeks heat up slightly and rolled his eyes pretending that Anders was the one who was acting ridiculous. Instead he took Anders' hand in his own and pulled him closer, trying to ignore Anders undergarments... blue with... a blue fuzzy creature holding something round and brown in his blue fuzzy hand.

"Hey, don't stare, it's the cookie monster..." Anders said blushing. 

Fenris realized he had been staring and shook his head quickly and gave another tug before he could return to stare at the stupid human's stupid underclothes. Anders however hesitated.

"I... you want me to get into the water with you?" Anders asked, clearly uncertain. 

Fenris nodded and pulled again. Anders allowed himself being dragged down clumsily into the tub. Water splashing around just about everywhere on the floor and up the wall as Fenris tried to maneuver the blond right into a comfortable position in his lap. 

"Andraste's knickerweasles! It's freezing!" Anders squeaked "I'll freeze my ass off!" 

Fenris snorted and tugged Anders down in his lap so Anders' back rested to his own chest, Anders' legs thrown up on each side of his tail and his head lolled back against Fenris' neck and chest. He gently wrapped one arm around Anders' chest then lifted his other one to point up to the sky that was developing a bunch of different pretty colors in the sunrise. 

"That... it's beautiful." Anders mumbled and finally settled his squirming and just relaxed. 

Fenris stroke his hand through the blond tresses once, to get the hair out of Anders' face while they both just silently watched the sun come up. When a soft snoring was heard Fenris realized Anders had fallen asleep on him.

He just sighed and rolled his eyes but decided Anders deserved not to be awoken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FENDERS More Fenders! :3 Starting to get to the right pairing here guys!


	10. The pool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders decides Fenris can't live in the tub anymore and get's help to move him.

"It will only work as long as he wears the necklace. If he takes it off the connection will break."

Anders looked down at the necklace he was holding in his hand. A thin silver chain with a darker pendant, the pendant was a round piece of silver with intricate swirls and lines creating a smaller circle tied into a triangular mess of lines. It wasn't too unfamiliar from the patterns and symbols from the Thor movies, but this was more intricate and... well, different. 

"Merrill, what even  is this?" He finally asked arching a brow.

It just showed how desperate he was for help when Merrill was the one he had turned to. 

But Hawke wasn't even an option anymore. It had been three days and still Anders still hadn't returned any of Hawke's calls or even read the one hundred and eleven texts the man had sent him. Aveline would have nothing to do with the siren in his tub, Anders would prefer dragging Fenris' down the stairs in a blanket before asking Sebastian and Fenris didn't like Isabela much and always looked like he was about to attack Varric when he was around. Bethany would have been his obvious go to person, but she was occupied with university.  

Still, Fenris needed to get out of that tub. Anders had payed some guys to fix his old pool and filled it with seawater. It wasn't a very large pool, just four meters one way and five the other, the deep end was two meters deep. Anders had even forgotten he owned it, it had been here when he bought the house and he hadn't had interest of it back then, even if the room had a good view out over the little beach then straight out to the sea. 

But now all of a sudden, when he had fallen asleep on Fenris in the tub and woken up feeling like a folded letter, he had great interest in it. Fenris clearly needed a space where he could stretch out and Anders needed to know that the tail worked properly before he could let the siren back out into the sea. Just like he would any other patient, you didn't just let someone out of hospital or veterinarian care without making sure they'd make it out there. 

The only problem now was that he needed to move Fenris from the upstairs bathroom to the pool down here and that's why Merrill was here. His idea had been for her to grab the tail while he carried Fenris under his arms, but Merrill had another idea.

Another wiccan idea that in Anders ears sounded like horseshit. 

"It's a Celtic knot. It symbolizes rebirth and regeneration. It's also a protection and gives creative strength if blessed by the ancient gods." She said to him cheery as always. 

"And... why would this give him legs?" He asked confused. 

"Regeneration Anders, I asked it of Mythal and she... it felt like she blessed it."

Anders held himself from scoffing at her. This was exactly why he didn't trust wiccans and their bullshit. He was alright with their use of herbs because they had a scientific proof to work, but praying to gods and say  _'It felt like an ancient goddess blessed this piece of silver and now the siren should be given legs when he wish it'_  was simply not what Anders believed in.

He knew he maybe shouldn't push this all aside as rubbish anymore. After all, there was a siren in his bathroom. But Gods and goddesses? He had to pull a line somewhere and he'd pull it by anything he actually got proof on. Now he just pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep calming breath to not snap at Merrill who was there to help because she was a good person. They could at least try it, if Fenris accepted. Most likely nothing would actually happen anyway. 

"Fine, and if the necklace does what you say it will, he can turn his tail back right? He won't be stuck with legs?"

"Of course not. He just have to deactivate the spell or take the necklace off and break the connection, like I said." Merrill said and nodded. 

"Would it work the other way around? Like if you or I put it on, could we have a merman tail?" He wasn't even sure why he asked, but it made Merrill happy. 

"No, it is blessed for Fenris, it wouldn't work for anyone else without Mythal's blessing. I could try to make you one?" She offered.

"No, thank you. And why can't we just carry him down the stairs?" Anders finally asked with a sigh."Like I asked about to begin with? You know, he'd be down already if we had."

He wasn't entirely sure why he didn't like this plan, the necklace wouldn't work, he was certain of than... he just didn't like the plan at all, even if he knew it wouldn't work. Well maybe because it was wiccan and Anders believed as much in wiccan and witchcraft as he believed in the snowman or honest politicians -not at all-. 

"Because he is heavy and if he could walk himself it would be easier for all of us." Merrill said as if she spoke to a child. 

"Fine. But if he says no, it's a no and we do it my way. Deal? No questions asked, he's... a bit touchy." 

"Alright." Merrill agreed

Anders sighed and stood up holding the silver amulet in his hand and nodded slightly to himself. Even if Fenris said yes to this crazy idea, the odds it would actually work were tiny. It was more likely this was just another pretty necklaces. Maybe Fenris would like it as a memory of his time here when he left... 

That was a thought Anders didn't want to follow up on quite yet.

"Alright. Let's go then." He said instead.

☆★☆★☆

Fenris stared at the two humans as they explained the crazy idea with the odd necklace. They wanted him to put it on so he would get legs like a human so he could possibly walk downstairs to get into a pool where he would get his tail back and stretch it out properly. He didn't like it.

It wasn't that he didn't like the idea of again be allowed to properly stretch out his tail, or to be able to swim again because he did. He desperately liked that idea and was certain he'd forget how to swim if he spent much more time in this tiny tub. But he was terrified over the thought of having to figure out how to walk with those things the humans called legs, what if he couldn't get his tail back? He had no wish to be human the rest of his life.

What terrified him even worse was that when Anders gave the pendant to him, the lyrium lines on his hands responded with low humming feeling. There was magic within the amulet even if Anders looked as if he thought it wasn't. He could feel the magic pulsing and calling for him like one of his own compulsions he used to get humans off their ships to jump into the sea and their waiting deaths.

What if this pendant was some sort of trick? Maybe it would paralyze him the moment he put it on, or make him pass out and he'd wake up strapped to another cold table by the pain of someone cutting him open and pouring something new  that wasn't him into his skin. As if on mark the lyrium began pulsating and glow all over his body and both Anders and the woman backed away from him some. 

Anders... Anders wouldn't do that to him... would he?

Fenris cursed silently in his head, when had he started to put such dangerous trust into Anders? Hadn't he learned from the past that humans weren't to be trusted no matter what they did and how kind they seemed? Wasn't the lyrium carved into his body proof enough humans wanted nothing but to use and abuse him? 

A warm hand landed gently on his shoulder and he stared up at Anders. "Fenris, you can say no." Anders calm voice said. "If you don't even want to try, we will just put it away and carry you downstairs, just... You are glowing."

Fenris dropped the necklace as if it had been poison and he quickly looked up at Anders, eyes wider than he'd have want them to be but he couldn't fight that bodily function. He just really didn't want to be forced to have legs. He didn't want to have to trust the humans not to hurt him. For the first time in over two weeks he didn't feel safe, for the first time in two weeks, he just wanted to get back home to one of his shipwreck hideouts. 

☆★☆★☆

Anders looked up at Merrill apologetic. It didn't feel right to even try to convince Fenris to use it, not after the reaction just the idea of it all had caused. The siren's eyes had been blown wide in terror and Fenris had just looked more and more terrified for each passing second he had been staring at the pendant. The glowing Anders had only seen once before, and that time Fenris had fought a shark, which meant it was dangerous. 

Merrill just smiled carefully and nodded understanding. Sometimes it amazed him how she never seemed to get upset over things, she always seemed very happy. Not for the first time he thought that maybe, just maybe he went a bit too hard on Merrill from time to time. 

"He really doesn't want to. But, thank you for the option Merrill." He offered.

"That's fine. Why don't you keep it, the amulet I mean, if he ever want to try it he just have to put it on and press his thumb and index finger to each side and it will do the rest, then the same way again and it will reverse the spell. Or pulling it off." She said with a nod. 

Anders nodded and smiled at her then turned to Fenris. Who still was still glowing, but looked a lot less terrified than just before. He realized that the glowing lines under his palm that was still resting on Fenris shoulder, were warm. Like if they gave off heat, not a terrible burning one, simply... a tingling odd energizing heat. 

"Fenris? Are you okay with us carrying you? Merrill will take your tail this time and I'll have your arms." He said calmly. 

Fenris blinked then slowly nodded his consent and the blue glow flared out, but the tingling was still left in Anders fingers. It was a bit like an adrenaline kick, that feeling of suddenly being alive and ready for action but it had just hit his hand and nothing more. It was something worth trying to figure out, for later. Right now, lifting Fenris.

"Alright, Merrill, min the cordial fins, it's two of them, pointy and fragile so be careful so neither of you get hurt." He warned and gently wrapped his own arms around Fenris chest under his arms and lifted.

They carried Fenris down slowly. The siren was heavier than he looked and Merrill managed to prickle he fingers on the two cordial fins more than once before they could sink Fenris down into the water of the pool. By that time Fenris had also lost the panic and fear he had been in as he focused on trying to be as still as possible in their arms so they wouldn't accidentally drop him to the floor.

Anders cleaned and plastered up Merrill's fingers before she had to go back to her little shop she ran with Isabela and he promised he'd text her if they ever used the amulet some time. He highly doubted they ever would, but if they did, she'd be the first to know about it. 

When he returned to the room with the pool in he couldn't resist smiling, because Fenris was definitely chasing his own tail down in the pool like kitten who had just realized it had a tail.

He hoped this would make Fenris stay at least some more days than necessary, knew the day when there was no longer any excuses to keep Fenris for health reasons was approaching, and it was approaching too fast.


	11. How do they work?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris want to understand how humans and their legs work, Anders agrees on a deal.

Fenris was floating leisurely on his back in the comfortably warm water of the pool when the blond walked into the pool room. The sun was shining in through the large windows, gently heating his skin up to a comfortable temperature. Just because sirens were cold blooded didn't mean he didn't like the sun. Quite the opposite in fact, he loved to be comfortably warm. It was the only thing he missed about Tevinter.

Kirkwall was a lot colder than Tevinter, not as bad as Ferelden's water of course, but it was cold nonetheless. But he preferred it here, Seheron was too much war even out at sea and Rivaini was filled to the brim of pirates. Kirkwall's waters were practically empty in comparison, now and  then there would be a storm and no one would take much notice in a human going missing here and there, blame the sea and let forgotten be forgotten.

On the sunny days he loved to just float around in some hidden off place, snatch up jellyfishes that he could just slip into his mouth. They weren't very tasty but he loved the consistence of them, almost liquid and the stingy ones gave a light tingle to his tongue, which he found pleasant and quite amusing.

This though, lazing around in Anders pool with no danger of being caught or discovered was nice. Especially since Anders fed him regularly without Fenris himself being forced to hunt for food on his own. It was dangerous, to get this comfortable and attached to any human when so much could go wrong, but... it was hard not to be comfortable around Anders.

He glanced at Anders as the blond approached with his usual bag that would contain some fresh fish, and another bag that was Anders' own food. Mostly Fenris wasn't interested of what Anders ate, he had got to taste some here and there and it simply wasn't of his liking. Except for the sushi, he liked the sushi and Anders usually offered him the two or three pieces he didn't like himself whenever he had it.

He lazily rolled over from his back to his stomach in the water and let his tail sink down as he watched Anders sit down by the edge with his legs crossed. As Anders picked out the content and put the fish by the edge for easy access and his own white box that would contain some very spicy Rivaini food Fenris swam closer.

With time, especially since Anders had put him down in the pool, Fenris had grown more curious about Anders. Ever since Anders and the woman had suggested the amulet to give him legs, he had grown more and more curious about humans and their legs. He wondered how humans could manage them at all... now was as good as time as any to ask he supposed. 

He swam close and pulled himself up slightly from the water, crossing his arms over Anders' crossed legs and looked up at the blond curiously. Anders who was just about to open his box stopped mid movement and looked down a bit surprised before giving off a little smile. The surprise wasn't surprising since most usually, Fenris ate in the water and didn't touch Anders more than nessessary or to get attention. 

"Hello." Anders said with a little laugh. "I brought you halibut and some shrimps." 

Fenris looked at the flat fish that laid beside some good looking shrimps and for a moment he nearly let himself be distracted. But he had other things he planned to do, like trying to figure out how human legs worked and how the humans walked around on them without falling flat to their faces. If there was one thing about him that he was very proud of it was his ability to learn and his wish to do so.

He gave Anders' pant clad leg a squeeze, it would be easier if he could get to see them without the cloth in the way. Last time he hadn't been given much of a view as Anders had been laying on top of him and the goal had been to comfort Anders, not question him about his legs. Besides, he hadn't been interested by then either, but now he wanted to know more.

_"How do you move them?"_ He signed when Anders twitched slightly.

"I ah.. Fen don't squeeze that high, please. And err, I just do? It goes automatically. Like how you move your tail I suppose?" Anders said, squirming slightly.

Fenris stroke over Anders' legs curiously and nudged his knees. Anders laughed lightly and put away his box of food in favor of spreading his legs on each side of Fenris' body down into the water. Fenris quickly put his hands at Anders' upper legs and pulled, making Anders squeak in surprise. 

"Fenris! Wait a moment, what are you doing?" Anders asked and shifted back some again.

_"I wish to understand how they work."_  He huffed as he signed that and rolled his eyes, wasn't it obvious?"

"How about we make a deal? You get to look at my legs all you want and in return, I get to look at your tail? Deal?" Anders bargained.  

Fenris contemplated for a moment. After all, he had seen Anders legs already but he hadn't been able to touch much of them and he was admittedly curious. Anders had touched most of his tail anyway, tending to his injury so he supposed it would do no harm, it would also only be fair to allow the same curtsy to Anders as the human did to him.

He pulled back with a nod and slipped back down into the water to watch and wait as Anders stripped out of his clothes. He still didn't understand the whole deal with the humans wanting to have so many layers of cloth on them, it must be terribly inconvenient in a hurry. But he could see the appeal of watching them being taken off. Anders looked very nice while he was undressing down to his underthings. 

Fenris had seen Danarius in his underclothes, they had all been either black or very dark colors, they had never been the way Anders' underthings were. Danarius sure as ever wouldn't ever have underclothes with blue monsters and cookies on them, nor would he have... a large pink cat at them. Anders was a peculiar human, but Fenris took comfort in how unlike Anders was from Danarius. 

_"What is that?"_ Fenris signed amused.

"Cheshire cat of course. From Alice in wonderland... I'll drag a TV in here and show you sometime." Anders promised. 

Fenris tilted his head curious, he knew Danarius had possessed one of those TV's but he had never seen one. But if Anders owned one, he doubted they were too terrible.

"But hey, no teasing of my boxers... I have sexy ones too I swear!" Anders said and rubbed the back of his neck. 

Fenris silently wondered what exactly Anders considered sexy underwear, to Fenris' own taste, sexy underthings were no underthings at all. Not that he had seen many humans without but it made sense in his head. What would be more sexy than quick access, if sex was the intended goal?

_"I have none at all."_ He signed with a wink. 

Did he just flirt with the human? Perhaps a little, but it was worth it because Anders blushed from top to toe and nearly dropped the shirt he was folding. 

"Well... you have scales, I err, don't." Anders said quickly. "Do you even... I mean... how do you make little sirens so to say?" 

Anders gave up on folding his shirt and just tossed it to the side, landing it on the rest of his clothes before walking over and sitting on the side of the pool. Fenris easily swam back to him and put his hands on Anders' legs again as they slid down in the water on each side of him. It was always odd to feel the little hairs that he himself not possessed. 

But Anders had asked a question and most likely expected an answer. Fenris looked thoughtful for a moment, showing was easier but maybe that would not be appreciated since the human was hiding his own parts behind his silly underthings and blushed if Fenris looked too long on them. Explaining would have to do then.  

_"I suppose we do as you do."_ Fenris signed slowly and blinked.  _"If you do as I have understood you do."_

"Really? But.. how? Like where?" 

Fenris snorted and pressed his hand in between Anders' legs and squeezed his dick through the fabric. Anders wasn't hard by any means but before Anders had time to squeak in protest and push his hand away Fenris could definitely feel it stiffen slightly by his touch.

"Fen! You don't jus-" 

"Like you." Fenris murmured quietly to him. 

Anders gasped, stared for some blank moments before he dove in for a crushing kiss. Fenris felt only a little guilty over it having quite literary spoken Anders into kissing him, but only a little. All this talk about parts had made his own siren biology interested and Anders was far from unattractive.

Fenris took careful care not to accidentally hurt Anders with his claws as he pulled him down into the water, never dipping Anders' head under the surface though as he knew humans needed air and the goal wasn't to drown Anders, he just wanted another kiss.  

When Anders came back from the limited use of his voice, the human was wide eyed and panting as if he had been running a mile. Fenris smiled at him very innocently, hoping Anders wouldn't be too upset with him for his little stunt. He hadn't been the last time, but of course then Anders had also been the one asking for it. 

"Makers flaming ashes..." Anders breathed out. 

But he wasn't pushing Fenris away, didn't scramble backwards to get out of Fenris' arms. Instead he rested his own pale hands to Fenris' darker shoulders while trying to catch his breath. Fenris wondered if maybe... maybe it meant... he pushed that thought aside before he could begin to doubt and leaned in for another kiss, without talking Anders into it this time. 

Anders tensed for only a moment before his lips went pliant, hungry, eager, hopeful for more. Fenris held the human a bit tighter to him while they kissed, a soft little moan escaped Anders, providing an opening that Fenris eagerly used as an invite to push his own tongue into Anders' mouth. 

Anders let out a low happy noise as he eagerly met with Fenris' tongue. Anders wasn't a bad kisser, but Fenris had to steer the kiss into staying in Anders mouth, his own had too many sharp teeth that could harm Anders by accident if they weren't careful. He'd prefer not to bite half of Anders' tongue off or Anders certainly wouldn't forgive him for the kiss.

When they pulled apart again to let Anders breath the blond had a stupid adorably large smile on his lips that followed all over his face. Fenris liked it, it suited him to smile that way, a way he quite proudly noticed Hawke had never been able to make Anders smile before. 

"You kiss like a youth criminal." Anders mumbled and let out a giggle. "I ah... again? Please? Just one more?" 

Fenris chuckled lightly and pulled the blond in for another kiss. Whatever they had been doing before could wait. His distrust for humans could wait, because he wanted. Oh he wanted to trust Anders and right now, he had no reason not to. 

"I like when you smile" he murmured to Anders lips. 

Anders squeaked and wrapped his legs around Fenris' hips and Fenris was all too content to hold the other man close while sharing delicious open mouthed kisses. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many updates... I was thinking about saving this for the weekend but... Well, here I am, impatient as always! :3
> 
> I just wanted to say THANK YOU cause this fic reached over 100 kudos and I'm not quite sure what to do of myself! :3 You guys are simply the best! 
> 
> *scoops you all up for a big hug*


	12. Little Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Anders really forgive and forget just because he is given a kitten?

Anders was still on cloud nine the coming day. Fenris had kissed him, on the lips! Sure the siren had used that deep gorgeous voice of his to make Anders initiate the kiss by pouncing Fenris in the water. Afterwards Anders had figured that Fenris using his voice was probably cheating from the siren's behalf. But after that, Fenris had initiated the next kiss, without the use of his voice.

Anders ran his fingers quietly over his lips once again, the same way he had done all morning while smiling goofy to himself.

Fenris had kissed him!

Anders shook his head to clear his minds, he was at work and needed to think about animals and how to help them, not about the handsome man occupying his pool. But Anders couldn't shake the smile, he didn't even remember being this happy before.

He looked at his chart. His next patient was a kitten, here for his first vaccination shots. Brilliant! Anders loved cats and this week was seemingly only getting better and better. Pet owners tended to let him coo at their pets, especially when it came to little baby pets and little baby kittens were nothing short of adorable. He had been thinking about adopting a new cat for a while now, maybe he'd adopt a kitten that could get used to Fenris without the two having glaring contests like Fenris right now had with the rest of his cats.

With his head full of different shelters he could look up he made his way out to the waiting room looking down at the chart. "Little princess, a tabby." He said and looked up, sometimes two pets had the same name in the waiting room, so better to always say what kind of animal it was.

However, he really should have known a good week wouldn't hold up for him because when he looked up he looked straight at Hawke. Hawke who stood up with a kitten poking it's tiny little head out of a pocket of the green jacket Hawke had on him. Anders pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing, there was a reason he hadn't answered any of Hawke's messages or picked up the phone when it flashed with Hawke's number.  

"Hawke. You are getting another vet." Anders said and turned on his heels to go to the receptionist. 

"Anders wait! Please can we talk? Look at this face, she need help, now, by the best vet in Kirkwall." Hawke said and held up the white gray tabby that mewed pitifully, Hawke gave matching puppy eyes. 

Anders glared at him, but the cat really was tiny... It fit in Hawke's palm for Andraste's sake. He finally gave a short nod before walking back to his examination room, motioning for Hawke to set the kitten down on the table. He didn't even say a word and Hawke soundlessly put the kitten down on the blanket that Anders had there and the little thing meowed again. 

Instead of initiate a conversation with Hawke he leaned closer to the kitten and scratched it with his finger and cooed at it. "Who's a cute little princess? You are! Yes you are. Why are you with the bad bearded stupid man huh? Poor little thing, did the stupid dog drool on you?" 

Hawke fidgeted while looking away, he didn't argue about being called stupid or even when Anders called his dog stupid, which Hawke usually would have done. He probably felt bad. Anders assumed, what other reason would Hawke even be here, and why the hell had Hawke bought a cat? He didn't even like cat's, or rather, he didn't actually care for cats. Hawke was a dog person. 

"Anders I..." Hawke began, but Anders interrupted. 

"You're not a cat person Hawke." Anders said short. "You don't care for cats, you're a dog person." 

"I... know, she's an... apology kitten?" Hawke said sheepishly. "I... from me, to you cause I'm an ass." 

Anders felt both hurt and furious at the same time. Hawke had broke his heart not even two weeks ago, kittens wouldn't just change what Hawke had done to him. A kitten wouldn't just suddenly forgive that Hawke had broken his heart, Anders was worth more than that.

That thought baffled him, he had never felt like that about himself before. Hell, the night Anders had seen Hawke with Cullen, he had been ready to forgive it, ready to be cool with Hawke having others as long as Hawke still wanted him. But things had changed, Fenris had changed things in his life. Not just the kisses yesterday or the quick soft kiss goodbye this morning mind you, he had changed things long before that, he had changed things even when he and Hawke was a thing.

To begin with, Fenris had just rolled his eyes or scoffed when Anders said something that was diminishing about himself. Lately Fenris had began to nudge or pinch him whenever he did it. The siren had made it clear that he thought Anders was worth something and to be honest, after a while of Fenris strange ways, Anders had begun to realize that he wasn't worth as little as he had thought.

"Giving me a kitten won't make you forgive you Hawke. You're a jerk and fuck if I'd ever let you treat me like that again." He said and crossed his arms. 

Hawke visibly winced. "I know... I... I don't know why I did it. And that is no excuse! I just... I don't know, I miss you." Hawke said and glanced down at his shoes. 

"Oh yeah? What about Cullen?" Anders asked, his resolve falling slightly as he watched Hawke. 

"He... I... he's outside in the car." Hawke admitted.

Anders felt a headache begin, what was even going on? What exactly was it that Hawke wanted? If it was just friendship... Anders could consider it. He had been hurt by Hawke, yes, but he could understand he supposed, if Hawke really felt something for Cullen instead of for Anders. If Hawke missed Anders as a friend, maybe it could be okay. Sometimes Anders had to admit he missed having Hawke as a friend too, just a little.  

"So you what do you want? Why are you even here Hawke?" Anders asked tiredly.

"Because... I like both of you." Hawke said staring at the floor. "I want both of you... you'd like Cullen..."

Anders sighed and stopped the kitten from crawling off the table. Hawke still wanted him, something inside him demanded that. He wanted Hawke to want him, take him and claim him against the wall, wanted to squirm under strong arms while Cullen watched, maybe even together. Hawke sucking him while Cullen was balls deep in Hawke's ass.

A flash of dark tail, blue glowing lines and Fenris' face full of mischief, cracked by a cheeky grin while clawed fingers curled into his blond hair as they shared and open mouthed deep kiss, swept through his mind, interrupting his thoughts about Hawke. Fenris who didn't need another to be satisfied, Fenris who only needed kisses to seem happy.

"Look... Hawke... maybe once I'd have been interested in that life. But... there is someone, he makes me happy. And he only need.. well... me. No one else." Anders said and smiled slightly by even the thought of Fenris.

Hawke stared gobsmacked at him. There was just the shadow of anger that flew over Hawke's face, Anger and hurt then it vanished and Hawke gave a small forced smile. It pissed Anders off a bit, Hawke must have been so certain Anders would throw himself head over heels back over the chance to be with Hawke. Didn't Hawke think he could find someone else? Anders reeled in his anger and looked at the kitten instead that was napping on the blanket. 

"Who..?" Hawke asked carefully. 

"Fenris." Anders replied easily and smiled slightly. 

"The siren? Anders... he's part fish." Hawke said incredulous. 

"And yet he don't have a history of cheating on me." Anders said cooly. 

Hawke sighed and looked at the kitten then smiled slightly again, almost hopeful. "Does he make you happy?" Hawke sounded sincere in his question.

Maybe there was still a chance they could be friends again. That Hawke would be fine with Cullen and Anders could be happy with Fenris, even if Fenris one day would have to move back to the sea. He could make some... underwater passage into the pool for Fenris, that way they could be together even if Fenris was free to come and go as he wanted. 

"Yes, he does. And Cullen?" Hawke got a warm smile and he nodded in reply. "Hawke... I like the kitten... maybe... could I?"

"She's yours, she's a _'I hope you can at least be my friend'_ gift." Hawke said and smiled hopefully.

Anders smiled at Hawke back. "I can do that... hanged man at Wednesday?" 

Hawke grinned widely and nodded. "Yeah, ready to loose all your money?" 

"Hawke, please. I will wipe the floor with your asses." Anders stated even if he always lost at Wicked Grace. 

Hawke laughed at that. They shared a hug, (it wasn't an awkward hug, it was a friend hug) then Hawke left, leaving little princess with Anders. It felt good, Hawke wasn't pissed, Anders could stop being pissed, stop ignoring Hawke's phone calls and he could go meet his friends out together again. The kitten at the table meowed for attention ad Anders gently stroke her behind her fluffy little ears. 

"Maybe this won't be such a terrible week after all." He said fondly to the tiny tabby. 

He really should have known better than to say that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUNDUNDUNDUUUUUN 
> 
> Thank you guys for all kudos and comments :3 I'm still baffled that this fic has over 100 kudos! <3


	13. Wicked Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders has a not so very perfect Wednesday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blood gore and pain. You've been warned.

It was good to go to a wicked grace night again. While he had been avoiding Hawke he had also pretty much avoided them all and it wasn't until he sat there with them that he realized just how much he had missed him. He had missed the stupid jokes, the friendly nabs, the laughing and goofing around with his friends. He even got along well with Cullen who had joined them for the night. 

Anders and Cullen knew each other since before. They had met at Kinloch when they were both a bit younger, Cullen had been hired in to help with the younger kids who had lost their parents recently or cases as such so the two hadn't really met much. Back then Anders had also practically had a warning label saying that he was trouble. 

Neither of them spoke about it or brought it up. It was in the past and they had both moved on.

Apparently Cullen was a Templar now. It was like being a cop but they weren't bound to just fight crimes in Kirkwall but had jurisdiction beyond the boarders in other places and countries. Of course they different amount of jurisdiction if different countries and places. In Kirkwall they had very large jurisdiction, but as in for example Tevinter, they barely had any at all. 

This night however Cullen had stripped out of the role of knight captain just as Aveline had stepped out of the role police captain and they were all just enjoying the evening together. Aveline however had to leave early since she started early the next morning, she offered both Sebastian and Anders a ride home but Hawke insisted that Anders should stay because it had been so long. 

And, Anders stayed. Fool as he was he stayed several hours longer than he had intended. For every hour he was feeling more and more guilty over not getting Fenris his evening meal and for leaving little princess alone so long while she was still so young. Hawke however was his damned usual charismatic self and somehow managed to pull Anders straight back into deep conversations, making him forget a bit longer about home.

When Anders finally did get home and dug around for his keys he was smiling. It was long since he felt so content with life like he did now. He had so much to talk with Fenris about and he really hoped Fenris would want to kiss him because Anders felt for kisses and maybe even cuddles if he could charm Fenris up from the pool.

However when he saw his door the smile was wiped off his face. It was cracked open by the frame and kicked up so it hung half off it's hinges. Anders didn't really have anything of worth in the house, maybe his vet kit and that wasn't worth so much either. The only thing he had that could be worth anything was Fenris and no one knew that Fenris even existed.

Anders slowly pushed the door more open only to find his hallway in chaos. His clothes, the mirror, the small bench and everything else that had been there was now smashed to little pieces as if someone had a hard fight there. The rubble was splattered with blood and a little longer in was a person. Not a siren (thank the maker) but a very dead human being. 

Anders blood was cold, he knew there was no idea to even look for a pulse on the body because that person was as dead is it got, neck nearly severed from the head by claws. He pulled his phone up and called for Aveline as he stepped over the body, following the destruction towards the room with the pool but dropped to his knees half way. Messere Paws was there, in a pool of blood and Anders began crying.

As he tried to search for any sign of life he saw the cat had been shot in the head and he pushed himself to the wall, sitting on his ass with his knees to his chin. He didn't even notice Aveline picking up, he was crying too hard, his body shaking violently. He didn't need to go to the pool room to know Fenris was gone, he didn't want to go there and possibly find more dead cats. 

"Anders! Anders can you hear me? Are you home?" Finally Aveline's voice broke through his sobbing and Anders chipped for breath. 

"My cat is dead." He choked out. "He's gone and.." He hiccuped. "There's a body and... they killed my cat." He gasped out between sobs and tears. 

It could't be sounding pretty and he wondered how Aveline didn't hang up on him. Or rather, for a moment he thought she had because her end went dead quiet. Anders felt like he was dying from the inside and he really couldn't stop crying. Fenris was gone, maker knows who took him. His cat was dead, he had cared for messere Paws since he had found him hurt and alone and he couldn't even  think about Ser-pounce or little princess dead, they were both gifts from people he cared about. 

"Anders? Anders! Anders, you have to listen yo me. Are you safe? Are they still there? I am on my way, Donnic is already half way there. Try not to touch anything." Aveline said calmly.

"I touched my cat... but I couldn't save him h's dead." He sobbed out.  

Aveline spoke to him until Donnic came. Donnic somehow managed to talk and guide Anders' into the living room that had been left untouched and down on his couch before getting Anders a cup of tea. Anders supposed he was lucky that he only owned calming teas because the hot cup between his hands helped him to calm down slightly. 

He heard when Aveline came but didn't do anything, didn't get up from the couch to say hello, didn't call her over, just stared into his cup. He heard one of the cops tell her it was lucky Anders hadn't gone into the pool room because there was five more bodies in there, two of them drowned and three ripped to shreds like the one by the door only worse.

They couldn't understand what or who'm could have done such a thing, it was apparently one of the most gruesome scenes either of them had seen. Someone had suggested a wild animal had done it, but it didn't explain why every other room of the house were untouched. Anders and Aveline kept their knowledge for themselves. 

When Varric came Anders didn't even look up. He had heard that whoever had done all this hadn't left any trails other than car trails leaving the house and the bodies littering the house and he was trying to face the probability that he'd never get to see Fenris again and that just made his heart break all over again, silent tears rolling unstoppable down his cheeks.

"Hey, Blondie. Look what I found out in a bush." Varric said and sat at the coffee table in front of him. 

Anders looked up slightly and was rewarded with an orange tabby in his face. And the little meowing from the smaller white grey one that poked it's little head up from Varric's jacket. Anders nearly choked on his tears and quickly grabbed Pounce pulling him close and pressed his face against the orange cat hair. Pounce just gave up a soft calming purring.

"I thought they were dead." Anders whispered against Pounce's fur. "Varric they got Fenris.. he's..." Anders voice broke in a sob and he couldn't say the finishing word  _'gone'._

"I know, Anders. Hey, don't cry on me there, we'll find him again alright? I have my contacts looking for white hair and shady people." Varric said calmly. "With a tail, we'll find him in a heartbeat." Varric was scratching little princess behind her ears as he spoke.

Anders sniffled against ser-pounce again but nodded quietly. He trusted Varric and Varric could find a straw painted needle in a haystack by just glancing at it. Anders only hoped it wouldn't be too late, what if whoever had taken Fenris wanted him dead? No, then they'd have killed him at once, not dragged him all the way out to the car before they killed him and Anders knew Fenris had been alive all the way through the house.

During the night cops and investigators investigated. They all tried to understand how the bodies had become so mangled, trying to understand what had happened there. Aveline questioned Anders herself and Varric stayed by his side and not much later their friends had come over, Merrill offered to make some kind of locating wiccan thing and Anders was so tired he didn't even roll his eyes. 

Hawke had been rubbing his back and Cullen had went to help the cops, Isabela had called a couple of calls asking people to keep their eyes open on the water borders and Sebastian even offered to give messere paws his last rights even if messere paws was a cat. He had even said that in the eyes of the maker, every creature in this world was the same.

When the cops were done Anders and his two remaining cats followed Hawke home to stay in Hawkes guestroom. Had Anders not been so broken he might have seen the guilty looks Hawke kept throwing his way, but as it was Anders barely noticed anything other than how soft the bed was before sleep caught him.


	14. Lost and found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris is found. 
> 
> Sort of.

"We've found him Blondie."

For three weeks there had been nothing, no sign of Fenris, no clues, no tracks, no nothing. Anders had been forced to go back to his old life, work, eat, sleep, repeat. He had to pretend nothing was wrong at work and had to pretend that the only thing missing in his life was messere Paws. Of course, everyone at the veterinary clinic had been understanding that loosing a cat was hard, but for a cat, a person was only allowed that much grief.

He couldn't tell anyone that he was in pain, that his heart had been shattered because Fenris was gone. He couldn't tell anyone at work that a siren had become one of the closest persons that he had and that he was now fearing for said siren's life. He couldn't tell anyone that his life was so empty with the loss of his friend. They would all think he'd lost his minds. 

His life was empty even if he lived with Hawke in his new large villa together with Carver and Bethany. it was empty even if he sat curled up next to Hawke and or Cullen on the couch with ser-pounce in his lap as they watched a scary movie, because Hawke wasn't Fenris. Hawke had kept down on any of verbal suggestions that they were slipping into what Hawke wanted, a life with both Cullen and Anders by his side but Anders knew it was happening, and he was to hurt to stop it from happening.

His own house was under construction. The kidnappers had left it partly in a mess so Anders figured he'd use his share from the deep roads expedition to fix the house up the way he wanted. Bethany had helped him with all the sketches and blueprints, including a passage out to the sea and an entire Fenris friendly room. 

Anders refused to give up on the idea that Fenris wouldn't come back to him. He refused to believe they couldn't find him, no matter what anyone said, no matter the pity or guilt he saw in Hawke's eyes. He had thought the guilt was strange to begin with, then slowly when Hawke had began pulling him into lingering hugs or got Anders to join him and Cullen for movie nights he had just figured Hawke felt guilty for trying to haul Anders into it. 

Anders would still break down crying now and then, when he found something that reminded him of Fenris, or if he just happened to wander in his minds to the Siren and his odd but yet quite charming ways. Hawke would hug him then, hug him and say it was okay to be sad, tell him that it was Anders' choice when he wanted to move on. 

He was lucky he had Hawke, he wouldn't have made it without the other man always by his side ready with a hug and a smile or a movie. 

This morning they had been sitting by the breakfast table when Varric came into the room. Him, Hawke, Cullen, Bethany  and Carver. Anders was eating a toast, he couldn't get himself to eat his usual coco pops and yogurt without thinking about the way Fenris had scrunched his nose the time he had offered him to taste it. Little Princess was licking in the jam and they all let her because it grossed out Carver who was the only one who liked blueberry jam. 

But at the news Varric provided, his toast, little princess and most of his morning was all forgotten. He didn't even notice how Hawke tensed just the slightest beside him, he was so focused on Varric.

"Where?" He choked out with his toast half lifted to his mouth. 

Isabla who came in after Varric grabbed Cullens sandwich with a wink and tossed a marine biology paper on the table. "Page eight." She said before taking a big bite from Cullen's sandwich without loosing eye contact. Like Pounce would do when he pushed a glass off a table even if Anders said no. Cullen grumbled annoyed about his perfect sandwich and made a new one. 

Anders quickly flipped in the pages until a big add for the Chantry run aquarium with a detailed sketch of Fenris occupied his view and Anders stroke his fingers over the sketch slowly. The dark tail covered in those white swirls, the long white hair in a halo around his face like if someone had copied the little mermaid just changed red to white. How the fuck Meredith had got her hands on Fenris Anders had no idea. But he didn't put it past her to break into his house to kidnap someone. 

"Wait what?" Cullen said as he leaned closer to look. "That area is Templar jurisdtiction, why wasn't I informed about this? Fake or not, I am supposed to be alerted to major events."  

They had told Cullen about Fenris of course. Cullen hadn't believed them at first, thought they were messing with him. But with more and more evidence, like how mangled the bodies in Anders house had been, Cullen had more and more come to accept it, and by now Anders was fairly sure Cullen did believe them about Fenris. Especially with the sketch on the add for the aquarium.

"We know it's Templar jurisdiction, that's why Aveline didn't know about it." Varric said and made himself a toast. "She is pissed, last I saw it she was on her way to the viscount to give him an earful." 

"We need to go there..." Anders said as he stared at the sketch. "I have tickets to the preview on Friday. Or rather the wardens get them and Mahariel sent me and Justice a couple of them since we live close by." Anders said and looked up at them all. 

"Well then! Seems like we're going to the aquarium on Friday." Hawke said cheery. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating will start to become more of a once a week kind of deal again since I return to work on Monday. So sorry about that, but yeah that's life.
> 
> Hopefully I'll manage to throw up at least one more chapter before Wednesday!


	15. At the aquarium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang find Fenris, how to break him out is another question, and oh? Is that more trouble coming their way?

Friday probably couldn't even come slower if if bloody tried. And still when Friday got there, it was there too damn soon. They didn't really have a plan other than go there and see what happened, steal Fenris then run. Justice had even come to Kirkwall, he wasn't going to join them to the aquarium, he was there in case Anders got in to trouble and needed help out of jail.

Anders had of course updated him on the entire tale, kept a few details to himself like that he had kissed the siren and was head over heels in love with him. He had also kept things like the drama with Hawke out of the picture, he didn't need Justice to get pissed at Hawke for something they both were fine with now. Especially not if there was a chance to get Fenris back to safety. 

The VIP show of the new attraction at the aquarium was entirely packed of important people from all over Thedas when they got there. Rich people, marine biologists, professional divers, military superiors, professors and scientists. Anders could even swear he had heard a Tevinter dialect as they tried to move to a good spot for a better view of things. 

The room was one of the larger exhibition rooms and in the end of it a large tank was hidden behind a black curtain. All around the room there were high tables to stand by and the room was very dimly lit with exception of the bright blueish spotlights that was aimed at the black curtain. 

Even if the room was barely lit at all and it was difficult to make out people's faces, there was absolutely no way Anders would miss only man in the room who had pink glow in the dark hair. Mahariel was standing beside another man with platinum blond hair that unmistakably was Zevran. Anders easily pulled his friends through the crowd towards the two men that were practically a light show all on their own. 

The pink glow in the dark hair was practical since the man who owned the stand out hair was a cave diver. There was nowhere in the dark ocean where Mahariel's always glowing hair didn't show. In a narrow cave under the sea with absolutely no light whatsoever it was easy to get parted with dark diver gear, but with Mahariel's hair, not even a blind could get lost.

Zevran was the first to notice them as they approached and he grinned widely as he held his arms out in a wide dramatic gesture before his thick accent drew attention from pretty much anyone nearby.

"Ah! If it isn't the handsome man who fled from my dear husband!" Zevran said gladly  and pulled Anders into a rib crushing hug and a firm kiss to each cheek. "Oh, and he's accompanied with my Rivaini pirate queen! How scandalous! You must tell me everything." Zevran said with mischief lacing his voice.

When Zevran pulled away from hugging Anders he easily  hugged Isabela, Hawke, Cullen, Merrill and even Aveline. Giving none of them a chance to escape his hugs and kisses. Isabela was the one who eagerly hugged back and Merrill blushed and giggled lightly when she was kissed.

"If it isn't my favorite crow." Isabela said brightly when Zevran was done.

"Aah, but I am no crow longer! My dear warden here knocked me over the head and stole me from that life!" Zevran said dramatically. 

"You tried to kill me vhenan. I only knocked you out a little... besides, you like it." Mahariel said with a cheeky grin.  

"True, but my version sound better, no?" Zevran purred and wrapped his arm around Mahariel's middle. "Alas, that is not why we are here. I assume you have a plan yes?" 

Anders rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't have anything better than proclaiming animal cruelty, kidnapping or something else illegal. And he wasn't even sure if Fenris fell into either of those categories according to the law since he was neither a human nor an animal. There was no laws for in between people and that would make things hard. 

"Well, we don't really have one." Hawke admitted.

"How about... kill everyone and leave with our prize?" Mahariel asked with a grin.

"So blood thirsty! Very Antivan, You make me homesick!" Zevran purred.

Before either Anders or anyone else had time to tell them  _'absolutely no killing'_ the attention was turned to the little podium in front of the tank where Meredith, the leader of the Templars, had stepped up and cleared her throat into the microphone. 

Meredith gave some insane speech about the horrors that were out there undiscovered, unexplained. The dangers that demanded to be found out and controlled before more human beings got hurt. As she spoke the black curtain was pulled aside to show a large seemingly empty tank. The audience mumbled between themselves, not impressed at all over the empty tank. 

Anders looked around quickly at the interiors of the tank. It was decorated richly like a reef, but it lacked of any kind of sea life, no fishes, no plants, just rocks and corals. Then he realized that the plants were floating by the surface and all the fish was littering the bottom of the tank in different stages of ripped and torn apart by sharp claws. 

Just as Anders wondered where Fenris was in all this mess, the siren slammed against the glass just behind Meredith with a loud thud.  Sharp teeth bared and claws scratching to the glass with the promise of death, and Anders was surprised that the markings didn't glow like they had when he attacked the shark. Meredith twitched slightly but gave no other indication she had noticed the furious siren behind her.

"As you can see,it's a wild dangerous beast. How many lives goes lost at sea because of creatures like him that we do not know? How many times have we suspected shark when there is something more deadly out there? It must end. We are containing him in this soundproof tank because his voice can lure even the strongest mind to it's death with only a few well placed words."

Anders balled his hands into fists as Meredith preached over the dangerous siren. Couldn't she see that anyone dragged from safety and forced into a glass prison to be showed  up like an animal would be pissed? He knew Fenris was far from a clean slate, he didn't even doubt Fenris hadn't killed and eaten humans, but his time with the siren had taught him that Fenris didn't have to kill, he was reasonable, friendly and compassionate if he wanted to.

When Meredith was done talking, people were caught in discussions or watching the tank from a distance, some even dared to go up close. Fenris occupied himself with ripping the already dead fishes into smaller shreds or slam his clawed fist against the glass whenever someone got too close to it, making the person quickly back off. 

After a while when people were more interested in discussing what they had learned than to watch Fenris, Anders quietly moved over to the glass. He gently put his hand to the glass and tapped it once to get the siren's attention. Fenris glared up at him, ready to attack the glass again no doubt, but the glare fell as he saw Anders, hope was clinging to Fenris' face as he slowly swam over, placing his clawed hand to the glass opposite to Anders' own. 

Anders leaned in to the glass and breathed at it before drawing a little heart on the glass and gave what he hoped was an assuring smile. Fenris stared at him then rolled his eyes in the way he did when he thought Anders was being ridiculous and Anders couldn't help his smile turning goofy before he did it again. This time Fenris put his hand over the heart as if to cover it and a faint blush tainted his dark cheeks. 

Anders chuckled lightly and put his own hand over where Fenris held his. He was horrible at sign language and Fenris had so kindly even informed him about it, so he hoped that Fenris understood without it that he'd be coming for him.

He looked Fenris in the eyes with a warm smile, a smile that Fenris returned... for a second, then his eyes widened in fear, narrowed in anger, widened again as a panic settled over him before he began hissing, showing off those sharp teeth of his. 

Anders twirled around because clearly Fenris had seen something behind him, or someone, someone who had scared him. Anders jumped when he suddenly stood face to face with an older well dressed man who even looked like some kind of evil villainous cliche from some bad movie and when he spoke it made Anders' skin crawl of discomfort.

"Quite the specimen isn't he? Now be a good lad and get out of the way. I am here to retrieve my property."


	16. An exhibit of magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danarius is surprised, Anders is surprised, I am surprised, you will be surprised. This is like some kind of surprise party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning that someone get killed in this chapter if you are sensitive to that. Like not something major but it's there.

Anders stared at the older man with grey hair and uncomfortably sharp eyes. The man in return looked at him in a way that made chills run down Anders spine like if someone had dripped ice water to his back. He had never seen pure evil, but he suspected this was what it looked like personified.

Anders didn't like fights much, he had got into a few of them at Kinloch but in his heart and soul, he was a healer, a doctor, not a fighter. However, if the occasion called for it, he was fairly certain he could throw a decent punch to the old man's nose and scream for help. So he stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest and straightened up as he remained square in the elder man's way. Fenris wasn't property, not to Meredith, not to the Templars and sure as hell not to this man. 

"Beg your pardon? Fenris belongs to no one but himself." He said coldly. 

The man actually looked... amused. As if Anders had done something tremendously funny or ridiculous and Anders suddenly felt like a little kid who was way above his head in things he couldn't understand and never would manage to understand, like quantum physics. 

"Ah, do I detect a note of jealousy? He does have a very pleasant voice now doesn't he?" The man asked with amusement still lacing his cruel voice. "My name is Danarius, I understand it that you have conversed with my little wolf then?"

The fake politeness of this Danarius felt as if the air around was slowly turning into thick tar and Anders felt like he'd vomit. This close, there was something... _very_  wrong about the other man, as if there was actually an aura of... evil around Danarius. It confused Anders and he had the urge to run far far away, but the urge to protect Fenris was a lot stronger than the one to run.

So Anders defiantly stood glued to to the floor, glaring angry at Danarius.  

"That's none of your business." Anders said shortly.

"Evidently." Danarius said amused. "Tell me, have you figured what they are yet?" The man asked and motioned for Fenris. Anders didn't answer because he wasn't sure what he meant. "They are lyrium. Only a gram of it is worth more than this city. And I filled my little pet up with enough to fill barrels."

Anders stared at Danarius. Lyrium was about as believable as fairy dust or the snowman or Hogwarts, stories that was told for kids for them to believe in magic worlds. But then again... so was Fenris supposed to be wasn't he? Anders turned slightly to look at Fenris, but not without standing so he could also see Danarius' every move, he wasn't stupid. He looked at all the lines all along Fenris' body, from the swirls on the tip of his tail to the three dots on his forehead. He noticed that Fenris was frantically signing to him. 

_"Anders run."_ Over and over again. 

Anders turned back to focus fully on Danarius again, pretending he hadn't understood the siren's waving around. He was worried how much distress this man could put into someone like Fenris, someone who had literary killed a tiger shark with his bare hands. A wild thought struck him and Anders was left wondered if Vampires might be real, or maybe demons. This guy could definitely fit right in, in some horror show like supernatural or maybe some vampire movie like Blade or something. 

Anders noticed how both Zevran and Isbela silently creeping closer in the dim lit room from each side. Zevran was an former assassin of the Antivan crows. Everyone knew they were assassins but anyone who tried to do something about it got, well, assassinated and they never left trails to tie them to any crimes. Isabela was... well she was a pirate more or less, from Rivaini and Anders had seen her in several bar fights. She  **always** got out on top.

Within ten meters of them police captain Aveline, knight Templar Cullen and Hawke stood, they all looked ready to rush in if things turned south. And if not them, there was several Military commanders, Meredith and security guards all over the room. Surely this man wouldn't be so stupid as to actually attack him, even if he was a vampire.

Now again... if just one gram of Lyrium was invaluable... people did crazy things for money. 

"Lyrium isn't real." Anders said and watched as the man moved his hands. Danarius was strictly ordering Fenris to activate his brands but the siren quickly shook his head. "What are you saying? I've seen him use sign language but I can't understand it." He said, pretending not to have understood.

"I simply asked him if he cared for you." 

Anders was impressed by how easily the man lied and how believable he made it sound, as if it wasn't a lie at all but the honest truth. The man signed the same thing again and Fenris gritted his teeth defiantly and shook his head more violently. Clever; Anders thought, if he hadn't been knowing what was being signed he'd almost fall for the lie, or at least begin to doubt.

"Which he does not, as you can see. Now move before I loose my patience." The man said with a slight annoyance hiding behind that polite stiffness. 

"The police captain is standing right over there and the Templar commander not even a room away. What will you do if I refuse?" Anders asked cocking an eyebrow. Faking a confidence he really didn't have.

Danarius let out a breath of annoyance. "Do you think anyone here is a match for Tevinter boy? But I am tired of this. Hadriana." 

A woman who must have accompanied the man smirked before pulling out a knife out from it's hiding place in her blue dress. With a flicker of her wrist the person beside her, a young man, had a red strike across his throat and his white shirt slowly turned red by blood. The chaos and screaming began within a second. Aveline pulled her gun at the woman along with several others but before they even could pull triggers an invisible force pushed them all to the floor and guns went flying. 

Anders stumbled backwards but managed to hold himself on his legs by the help of Fenris' tank, stunned and confused over what had happened as he watched in horror how the blood from the dying man was drawn to the air by an invisible force and twirled around Danarius. The black haired woman dragged her knife over another throat and flames flashed up from Danarius' hands, hitting anyone who came in the way of him. 

Aveline, who had managed to grab her gun, tried to shoot Danarius but the bullets fell from a shield that sprung up around him. Just as no one thought it could get worse, twisted and tainted creatures pulled themselves up from the floors, demonic claws and shrill shrieks as they launched for the people. Anyone who could fight threw themselves into fighting and those who couldn't fight tried to flee. 

Anders himself was caught fighting one of the twisted beings with nothing but his hands, but as he thought earlier, he wasn't a good fighter, he could throw a punch but all that got him was claws to his arms that made them ache and bleed. He could do nothing but dodge and jump out of reach, dancing away from what the hell that was, trying to figure out what the hell to do. He found a long stick, probably a broom but missing the head, and simply began smacking the creature assaulting him.

He didn't even notice Fenris behind him until the entire area he stood in was glowing in blue and... Anders had never felt so alive. Adrenaline rushed through him like a bright light, it guided his twirling with the stick in flowing motions. The twisted demon came too close and Anders let out a loud cry, before he could understand what happened flames were roaring from his own hands charring and twisting the creature until it was just a pile on the floor. 

A crack from behind him was all warning he had before water washed over him. By instinct, or knowledge? He didn't even know anymore. He just slammed his stick to the floor when he was collided by something large and glowing. The only thought he had was to protect, protect Fenris and make sure neither of them were hurt in the chaos. 

The water barely even touched them where Anders sat on one knee. Stick in one hand slammed hard against the floor while the other arm wrapped tightly around Fenris' slender chest as he buried his head to wet white hair. In return two arms were wrapped around his shoulders tightly and where Fenris' blue lines touched his skin he felt like if it was singing, he couldn't understand why, it just was. 

Still all he could think was to protect. Protect, shield, Fenris, safety. 

When the water He sloshed lazily by his ankles and all sound in the room had gone deafening, Anders slowly looked up. Danarius was staring in disbelief at him, not even wet as the shimmering protection around him fell. Anders realized a similar shimmering barrier was around himself and Fenris. All around them people were either dead or trying to get up from the floor, coughing, wet and confused, the twisted creatures gone or dead.

The older man made a last move and another violent force smacked through the room, a loud sound clicked in the air, taking out everyone who were still conscious, even his own accomplice. But it wouldn't go through whatever Barrier Anders' and Fenris had around them, and with a last glare, Danarius fled the room quickly through the nearest exit.

The barrier around them fell as Fenris marks flickered out and Anders felt exhausted, more than he had ever before even after hours upon hours at the clinic with some poor animal needing surgery. But they couldn't rest now, not yet, not here. Everyone was unconscious, most seemed to still be breathing. His friends were at least breathing, they would understand.

Him and Fenris needed to be gone when they all woke back up.

He lifted Fenris on unsteady legs, nearly falling over, should have, Anders knew his ribs weren't healed yet, and still, he couldn't feel any pain in them, nor was the gnashes that  demon thing had made bleeding anymore, or even there, just gone as if Anders hadn't been hurt at all. Only the holes in his jacket remained as evidence.

Anders quickly carried Fenris through another exit, the one furthest away from the one Danarius had used and luckily the closest one to his car. With some fiddling Fenris helped unlock the car and open a door for them as Anders' hands were otherwise occupied. 

Anders managed to stumble into the back of the car with the two of them before he collapsed against Fenris and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uuuh... that was an.. unexpected turn of events from my part I suppose... 
> 
> well! Surprise!


	17. I much prefer to be on the run with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders and Fenris are on the run, car trips and motels aren't the best place in Thedas. But it's preferable over the alternative.

Fenris had his tail splayed out over the car seat as much as it allowed. He still had to fold it to fit the entire length of it but it wasn't as tight as sitting in a tub so he wasn't complaining too much. His tail was covered by moist towels to keep it from drying up and little princess was sleeping curled up into one of said towels, not seeming to mind that it got her wet.

Of course the kitten hadn't seemed to mind jumping into the pool and play with Fenris before this whole mess happened either. A strange little feline and Fenris had decided that he liked her. He knew that one of Anders' cats had been killed and he was quite happy it wasn't her. 

The whole trunk were stuffed with bags and packing from Anders' old half renovated house. The floor on the back of the car where Fenris sat by were also filled with things and belongings of Anders. All his belongings. Anders had packed pretty much everything from his house into his car then went by Hawke's villa, grabbed his cats and they had been on the road ever since. 

Anders had saved him. When he had been dragged to that tank and met with the woman, Fenris had been waiting, not for Anders, but for Danarius. She had been a cruel cold woman and he'd have no doubt she was in some sort of arrangement with Danarius. He hadn't been entirely wrong, Danarius had shown up but so had Anders and Anders had been the one who saved him. 

Fenris had suspected Anders would possess dormant magical abilities, there was that slight tingle around Anders that told Fenris as much. It had been a bit uncomfortable to know for certain that Anders possessed magic, especially since Anders possessed a very powerful magic. But then Anders' magic had based mostly on shields and healing and his worries had been pushed away.

He knew very little of magic, only the bits and pieces he had overheard when Danarius had spoken to his apprentice Hadriana. All magic came from lyrium, a rare mineral that could be found deep below the surface of Thedas. Once; hundreds maybe thousands of years ago, lyrium had been part of the every day world, mined like a metal not worth much more than silver. 

The effects of having lyrium all around the world and where people had been affected by the long exposure of it could wield magic. It had been in the bloodlines and some of those bloodlines still held the ability of magic, only, now days, it didn't have anything to help in manifest and thus, no one knew of it's existence anymore. 

But Danarius had found a pocket of lyrium, hadn't been able to activate it by his own and had searched for years for something that would. Stumbling upon a siren who possessed his own kind of magic had been what Danarius had thought he'd needed. That's why he had carved Fenris full of the burning mineral, that's why he had forced Fenris' body under stress until Fenris body had lashed out, activating the mineral and transferred it's magic onto Danarius. 

Danarius had found he was compatible to magic and once activated he had been able to make minor spells and incantations even without Fenris' brands. But as soon as he wished to do any larger spell, the lyrium in Fenris' body would need to be called upon. Either the lyrium, or blood would work to sustain a magical spell large enough to set a house aflame. 

Or at least, that's what Fenris had heard or managed to puzzle up on his own. And now, Anders proved to possess the abilities of a mage as well.  

Fenris shifted slightly where he sat, careful not to wake little princess that was asleep. He looked at Anders who was driving them towards an (to Fenris) unknown location. The blond looked exhausted, scared and... maybe a bit sad. Fenris felt guilty. He was quite sure this was all his fault after all, without him, no lyrium, no lyrium and Anders wouldn't have his new magic and the blond wouldn't have to leave his old life behind.

He moved to the edge of the seat and gently stroke over Anders' arm, it made Anders glance up at him in the mirror. A smiled slowly spread over Anders' lips, Fenris saw it despite the dim light of the car. They had been driving until it had become dark around them, the only light came from lampposts on the sides of the roads or the car lights. 

"You okay?" Anders asked gently. "Do we need to stop to fix you some wet towels?" 

Fenris shook his head and pulled closer until he could put a kiss to Anders' shoulder to assure him he was fine. 

"You know, I have been running away so many times, this is the first time I have company. It's kind of nice... We could find a spot somewhere warm, you know, secluded, close to the sea." Anders said thoughtfully.

Fenris chuckled lightly and leaned back against his own car seat and silently watched Anders again. He couldn't exactly converse with Anders like this, speaking would lead to Anders forgetting how to drive and drive them off the road or crash or something of the sort, so he just settled for listening to Anders when he spoke or leaned forwards now and then to brush his clawed fingers to Anders' arm. 

"I've heard Nevarra has good food. But first Skyhold, Bethany will meet us there with the things I still had in Hawke's place and a fake passport. We'll stay the night in some motel and you will have to spend the night in a bathtub again, sorry." 

Fenris closed his eyes and smiled slightly. He didn't care if he had to stay a night in a bathtub. He liked the idea of not parting with Anders. Wherever they went they would be together. With that thought in his head he slipped off to a peaceful sleep before he knew it. 

☆★☆★☆

The following days were mostly car riding from early morning to late night, then sleeping in different shabby motels where Fenris slept crammed up in the tubs. Anders slept most nights either on top of Fenris folded in the bathtub like the first night they had slept in the same room, or he pulled blankets and pillows in and slept on the floor beside the tub with the cats. 

After a week and a half, they finally reached Skyhold. A nice town in Ferelden that had an impressive university according to Anders. Bethany was running late so they had a couple of days worth of waiting for her. Anders would vanish off now and then to the university library and be gone for hours, come back with an innocent smile and a bag of seafood goodies for Fenris.

Anders hadn't asked Fenris about the magic but Fenris had found Anders pulling in the invisible energy now and then when he thought Fenris was asleep, trying it out carefully. Fenris had been scared at first but had quickly grown used to it, even fond of it. And when Anders had gasped in amazement one night as he had healed a cut on his finger, Fenris had been forced to bite his own lips not to make an amused sound over Anders' excitement over  being able to heal himself. 

Even if Anders never asked, Fenris was fairly certain that when Anders vanished off for some hours he was trying to research about magic or anything about lyrium at the university. He would still blabber Fenris' ears off when he came back home but there was never enough information to fill all of those hours that Anders were gone and Fenris appreciated that Anders didn't try to ask him about magic, just like he never asked about his lyrium marks or how he got them. 

One day Fenris might tell him, but not now. Not this soon. Not without knowing what kind of mage Anders would turn out to be.

But one day was different. This day Anders was silent as he sat beside the tub chewing his pasta while Fenris was munching on shrimps. It was concerning whenever Anders was so silent, it reminded him about the time Anders had been sad about Hawke and he didn't want Anders to be sad.

So Fenris reached out to nudge Anders to get his attention. Anders jumped a bit startled then smiled sheepishly from his food and carefully put his plate aside. Then the smile turned playful and Fenris was immediately guarded, not guarded as when he was expecting something bad, the kind of guarded he had when he knew Anders was up to something silly. 

"Sorry, did you say something?" Anders asked cheeky. 

Fenris snorted amused. "If you wish kisses Anders, you only ha-" he was cut of by Anders lips clashing with his own and he chuckled into the kiss.

Fenris had learned how to tease Anders back. He had learned that Anders wouldn't honestly get upset over Fenris using his voice or the kisses they shared, instead he'd eagerly kiss back then smile ridiculously for hours afterwards. It was very sweet. 

"You are terrible." Anders sighed after a while.

But Fenris felt the curling smile on Anders' lips against his own and knew the sigh was only Anders being dramatic. It was cute, he supposed. Whatever it was, he liked Anders, from the blond hair and pale freckled skin to the silly way he blew kisses if he just left the room. It was Anders and Fenris liked everything about Anders.

"But... yes there was something on my mind... this place is amazing you know... and I... well, I still have Merrill's amulet, you could see the place with me." He said carefully. "But it's stupid. Sorry never mind me."

Fenris kissed the blond again. The amulet was still a terrifying thought but... he had to admit that all Anders' blabbering had made him curious of Anders' world. He also knew that Anders really wanted him to come with him, else he wouldn't have asked at all, or been so distracted by thinking about it. Perhaps they could try it, just for a while. 

He pulled back from Anders carefully to be able to sign.

_"It is not stupid. I would like to try."_


	18. Like Penguins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris tries out the amulet and Anders tries to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight smut down there. Finally for the two of them huh?

Fenris was staring. What else could he do when where his tail was meant to be instead were more dark tanned skin and two legs?

The swirling lines of lyrium were the same as thy had been on his tail, the way they had always been, as if he always had possessed legs instead of his usual dark and powerful tail. He silently leaned over and reached out for his feet, touched his toes carefully to see if he could feel it or if it'd be just an illusion that vanished by touch. 

But he could feel them and he could feel his own touch to them. He shivered slightly and slowly ran his fingers up over his legs to his hips, chest and face. Feeling for any possible change that might be there. There was still no hair on his body other than on his head, he wasn't scruffy like Anders was, but he wasn't scaly either, his body was just smooth hairless skin. 

The bridge of his nose were more flat than Anders' nose was, just like it always had been, his ears were still long and pointy and his teeth were still dangerously razor sharp. It was comforting that he still had several of his usual treats there, he wasn't defenseless, he knew what damage his teeth could do. His claws however was a lot more flat, nails still a bit pointy but not nearly enough to shred something to little pieces. 

His body was... squishy without any trace of his scales. Just like Anders' or any human's body was squishy. It was strange but not unpleasantly so. 

Fenris wasn't the only one staring at his body. Anders mouth hung open and a blush was tainting his pale skin from his ears and down into his still wet and clinging t-shirt. Anders' eyes were raking up and down Fenris' body, stopping between his new legs more than once, going even redder and Fenris looked down in confusion before letting out a snort of amusement. 

It looked wrong what was between his legs, not at all what he was used to. His dick would usually be hidden out of sight under his scales until he felt for pulling it out. His base would be slightly covered by softer dark scales as an expansion of his tail. Usually it was supposed to be dark like his scales and slowly shift from a dark blueish purple towards a more skin like color towards the head. 

But never would it look like this, nor would his sack be showing. It was oddly unprotected and Fenris wondered why humans were shaped this way, it couldn't be convenient to always need to protect it. He just imagined what kind of pain it would be in a fight if they weren't all wearing clothes.  

He refrained from touching himself in favor for looking up at Anders instead. Anders was staring even more, blush darkened and Fenris smirked before laying down on the bed on his back, stretching out lazily while looking at Anders with a suggestive smirk. There was by far more interesting things they could be doing than Anders just staring at it. 

"Anders, you are staring." He purred, using his voice to get him closer. 

"I... sorry you're just." Anders looked straight up into the roof instead of his cock. but quickly snapping his head back, staring at Fenris. "Hey... wait... I didn't feel that so strongly!"

Fenris sat up quickly, nearly falling over to his side with the new balance in his body and frowned. His voice didn't work, why didn't his voice work? It was his best defense if something happened "Anders." He put more force behind the word, forced more desire into the name as he'd do against a tricky enemy. Anders took a stumbling step forwards before pulling his wit back to himself.

Fenris was not amused with this development of things. 

"The amulet! It's making you more human, it must dull down the effects of your voice as well." Anders said interested. 

Fenris crossed his arms and glared at Anders angrily. He didn't like that his voice didn't work and he liked it even less that Anders wasn't already crashing his lips against Fenris' own. Anders finally laughed lightly and moved closer before he sat down on the bed beside Fenris, leaning in and kissed on his shoulder. Fenris relaxed slightly but made sure to roll his eyes which made Anders grin wider.

"I'll still come kiss you if you ask." Anders said leaning closer to his lips with a playful smile. 

Fenris pushed the silly blond away from him and rolled his eyes, biting back the fond smile that threatened to curl his lips. Anders was ridiculous and Fenris wasn't used to ridiculous shows of affection, but he appreciated them. A lot more than he let Anders know, a lot more than he'd ever let Anders know or no one knew what the silly man would be up to next. 

"I don't know how to use them." He said gruff instead and looked down at his legs. "How do I part between them? Which one is which?" 

Anders smiled then stood back up from the bed and grabbed Fenris' new legs, gently swung them over the edge of the bed before kneeling between his legs. Fenris tilted his head forcing back a slight blush as Anders grabbed his one foot and began kissing and nipping all the way up to his thigh. It caused Fenris' heart to start a race quickly in his chest and the blush to reach his ears. 

Fenris swallowed hard and felt his dick grow hard the closer Anders' lips came to his crotch. He gasped quietly when the stubble of Anders' jaw stroke against the skin of his length when the blond licked a last time to his inner thigh where he had just gently bit down. 

"That, is your right leg." Anders murmured "And this..." Anders grabbed his other leg and slowly repeated what he had done with the right one. "Is your left leg." Anders purred, breath hot against Fenris' cock that was hot and heavy between his legs by now. "Do you need a demonstration of that too?" Anders asked sinfully, far too close to his cock for it to be any misconception of exactly what Anders meant. 

"I... might need that yes." Fenris managed to say, between hard breaths. 

Anders chuckled lightly before his pink tongue darted out to begin lapping softly over the head, teasing while his fingers wrapped around the base and suddenly Fenris felt it like Anders was everywhere at the same time and he lost his ability to string coherent thoughts together.

☆★☆★☆

Anders had dragged Fenris over the edge tree times before Fenris had tugged him up from his crotch to kiss his lips roughly. Anders hadn't been so deeply tongue kissed by anyone who'm had just spent so much into his mouth before and it was a nice change to have someone who kissed him even after that display. 

To be fair though, he hadn't met anyone who had come three times without showing any more sign of fatigue than a soft panting. Anders wasn't fooled now either, Fenris' cock had still been hard when he had been pulled up, even if the siren had just spent his third load in Anders mouth and Anders wasn't certain if he was supposed to be impressed or terrified.

Really, Anders had taken pride in his stamina in the bedroom but now he doubted he'd be able to keep up with Fenris because he was fairly certain Fenris was some kind of sex god or something.

"Fuck! How can you still be hard." Anders breathed out heavily as Fenris was pulling his shirt over his head, breaking the kiss. 

"Siren, mating is different." Fenris growled before kissing him roughly again, tossing the shirt across the room. "My body want to mate yours."

"Mating? You want to have sex with me?" Anders asked breathlessly before diving in for another deep kiss. "Baby sex? we can't, I'm a man and so are you."

He nearly lost whatever Fenris said as Fenris' hands slipped into Anders' pants and squeezed with just the right amount of pressure to his aching cock. He just wanted anything Fenris had to give him, maker, he had wanted Fenris to do things to him for so long, lain awake at nights, aching for Fenris to touch him while the siren had still been in his bathroom. 

"I want to claim you and keep you as mine for the rest of our lives. Bah, penguins." Fenris growled and buckled his hips up. 

"Penguins are cute." Anders said with a moan before he realized what was being said. "Wait, F-Fenris what? Oh maker! Just s-stop a moment." 

Fenris huffed when Anders pressed his hand to Fenris' chest to keep them apart and Anders had to wrangle Fenris' other hand out from his pants to be able to think straight. Mating like penguins, for the rest of their lives. Fenris wanted to be with him for the rest of his life? He didn't even know what mating for sirens were and if there was any mating about to happen, Anders needed to know and they both needed to talk because babies were not going to happen between two men, no matter how much they tried.

"Clothes. We both need clothes." He said pushing himself up from Fenris. "And talking." He said as an after thought. "Then you explain mating and we go on from there." Anders stated and took another calming breath. "If it's what I think it is we have to talk first. Deal?"

Fenris sighed in defeat and flopped his head against the pillows, finally nodding. 

"Talking, then mating." Fenris grunted impatiently.


	19. The talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anders and Fenris talks, then they do more than just talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They smut. There you go, smut warning on this chapter.

They didn't do the talking until Anders was back in his shirt that had been tossed to the side, and Fenris was back in his... well, tail. The siren laid splayed out comfortably on his back on the mattress, it was soft and comfortable, certainly underestimated according to Fenris and he nearly wished he could have one of his very own when him and Anders found somewhere they could live together. He just wasn't certain how well these things did under water. 

Anders was laying beside him on his side, one finger silently following a lyrium line over Fenris' chest. Usually Fenris hated when his lyrium etchings were touched because it was a painful and uncomfortable sensation. Anytime Anders had touched it before had also hurt, but now it didn't, not since the power outburst at the aquarium. 

Having Anders in such close proximity actually soothed the marks, the usual pulsing pain was dulled down to a quiet numb feeling, like pressing gently to a bruise. Somehow Anders new found magic connected to his lyrium in a way that was soothing instead of painful like it would be by Danarius' magic. Then Fenris had recalled that Anders magic seemed to be based in healing and protection, maybe that had an impact on the lyrium as well. As if Anders' magic calmed the lyrium in his body instead of urging it on. 

"So, what you are saying... mating is like a bond...?" Anders finally asked after a long silence. "You're not trying to make babies with me?" 

Fenris sighed and glanced down at Anders where the blond peered up at him from his shoulder. He was ridiculous, they were both men, they couldn't make babies together. He was fairly certain Anders was just teasing him though about the baby part, so he stroke a hand through the blond hair before holding his other hand up to sign his reply. 

_"It would change your scent, just enough for other sirens to know you are taken. It would change mine too to know I am no longer available for mating, other than that, nothing would be changed."_ He signed for probably the sixth time. 

He was getting impatient, he was still hard and his body was screaming for Anders, screaming to be allowed to touch and claim. But this was Anders and he cared for Anders and thus wanted him to be comfortable before trying anything with him. So if Anders wanted to take an infuriatingly long time to ask the same questions over and over, he would answer each and every one of these questions until Anders was satisfied.

Anders just reached up and laced their fingers together, preventing Fenris from using them for more signing. Fenris smiled as Anders pulled his hands to his lips and kissed on them, then on each finger. It was ridiculous and silly but it was the small things that made him know he never wanted to part with Anders, these small things that made Fenris have patience. 

"So, I'd not notice any difference at all afterwards?" Anders asked as he was watching Fenris' fingers. 

Fenris shook his head and tried to get a kiss from his blond. However, said blond smiled cheeky and evaded him, quickly putting the other hand up over Fenris' mouth, preventing any further kissing. Fenris growled behind Anders' hand, which of course only made Anders smile more wickedly until Fenris sighed and pressed a small kiss on Anders' palm, waiting.  

"But, I'd be your boyfriend?" Anders prodded. 

Fenris rolled his eyes and pulled his hand away from Anders' to sign again. A simple "Yes." Because in human terms, yes, Anders would be his boyfriend even if Fenris found the word silly and insufficient as to what he saw Anders as. They would be mates, belong to each other by scent, even if humans had a terrible sense of smell and didn't even notice the difference. 

Anders hummed then shifted until he straddled Fenris' tail and Fenris stroke his clawed fingers gently along Anders' legs where the human sat. Anders smiled and focused on the lyrium lines, following them with his fingers again, having one hand flat over Fenris' heart to keep himself upright. 

"I... would love to be your boyfriend Fenris." Anders said shyly. "I am not... perfect though... I mean, I have issues and there are a lot of people better than-" 

Fenris didn't let him finish, just reached his hands up into the blond tresses and tugged Anders down to kiss his lips deeply. He knew how little Anders thought of himself after the blond's time with Hawke. After everything Fenris still couldn't believe how low Anders saw himself. In that moment, Fenris decided it was his job to make Anders know better, for the rest of their lives if that's what it took. 

"Anders, shush. You are a pain, a mage, a tease, excruciatingly annoying at times and you blabber my ears off. But you are also kind, clever, caring, handsome, silly, sweet and brave and there is no one I would prefer to spend so much time with than you. I am yours if you will have me." Fenris said determined.

That of course forced him to physically restrain Anders from diving at him with kisses and touches. Forcing him to keep the blond in a deadlock to his chest to get him to stop squirming about. Anders of course did manage to lick his chest and dry hump his tail where he laid, but Fenris managed to keep it to a minimum until Anders came back out of the lust filled haze. 

"Fenris... I... yes. I want to be yours to." Anders croaked out when he relaxed against Fenris' chest. "But maker, your voice will be the hot death of me one of these day I swear." 

Fenris snorted amused and suggestively rolled his tail up towards Anders crotch where his dick was again stiff in his pants. Anders groaned over the movement then hummed appreciatively. When Fenris was certain that Anders was actually not affected by his voice he carefully let the deadlock go so Anders could sit back up. 

"So, how do we... uhm..." Andes blushed slightly for a moment as he searched the word. Then he grinned wickedly. "Well, penguin?" 

Fenris groaned loudly over Anders tease. Penguins had been the only animal Anders might know that he could think of to make a comparison to, at the moment, his mind had been too occupied to get Anders to sit at his raging hard on to come up with anything better. Anders laughed happily and Fenris decided the stupid human were lucky he was so cute or Fenris would have tipped him to the floor for his tease. 

Instead he grabbed Anders' sides and flipped them around so Anders was the one on his back and Fenris' tail laid slipped between the human's legs, giving a suggestive little wiggle. Anders moaned as Fenris ground down harder against Anders' hard clothed cock while claiming his lips in a deep kiss to distract him from the next move. 

When Anders was too busy to moan against the kiss Fenris did another pull and a flip with his tail and dropped them both down to the floor with a thud. This made Anders again sit straddling on top of his tail, the place Fenris wanted him. Anders yelped in surprise over the sudden move but Fenris took no notice and just shifted them around until his back was leaned against the bed and Anders was safely straddling just the right place.

"Makers breath why are we on the floor?" Anders complained with a huff. "What's wrong with the perfectly good bed?" 

"Hush and undress and I will show you." Fenris growled low and seductive by the blond's ear.

Anders gasped and rolled his hips down against his tail and kissed over Fenris' neck. Fenris grinned and nipped to Anders ear, careful not to hurt him with his razor sharp teeth before he urged Anders up to get naked.

Fenris was impressed over how quickly Anders got out of his clothes and tossed them aside. He was less impressed and more amused over Anders silly underthings that today were filled of yellow little creatures with blue pants. He stroke over Anders' legs when Anders carefully straddled his tail again, his skin feeling good against the scales on his tail.

Fenris was rather certain he would never get used to all the hair humans had on them though. Arms, legs, face, chest, stomach, around their private bits, it just couldn't be convenient to have that much hair. He stroke one clawed finger curiously over the trail of hair from Anders' navel down to the darker blond hair that above Anders hard and already leaking cock. It was probably cheating by Fenris to talk that much to the blond to get him into such a state before, but he could't say he regretted it. 

Fenris wrapped his clawed fingers around Anders' length and the blond gasped as he put a hand to Fenris' shoulder to remain upright. Fenris knew how to move his hand so his claws wouldn't do more than scraping against skin without harm. If Anders felt very adventurous some day Fenris wouldn't mind wrapping his lips around Anders' length. Something not even Danarius had dared order him. But Fenris didn't want to harm Anders and Anders didn't want to harm him. They were both safe.

"Andraste's knickerweasles... yes." Anders panted and dove in for a kiss, moving his body in time with Fenris' strokes. "So good." He mewled against Fenris' lips.

Fenris slipped his other hand down between them and teased the edge of his own scales with a small gasp. He hitched his breath, startled, when Anders' fingers had moved down to his own and Fenris groaned when Anders slipped his fingers into the pouch and flat claw-less fingers stroke teasingly along his shaft. If Fenris hadn't been ready to claim Anders before, he certainly was now. 

"P-please Fen, ah, Fen I-ah I n-need." Anders stuttered out. 

"Yes." Fenris growled low and hot, because he needed too.

He stopped stroking Anders in favor of grabbing Anders' hip hard with one hand while the other slipped a finger down Anders' crack circled Anders tight hot hole that was just begging to be filled. He growled when he remembered humans worked differently and would need extra slick to comply with his wishes or they'd get hurt. 

"I can't. Claws." He grunted out and demonstrated by dragging said claws across Anders' ass, leaving hot red lines behind.

Anders whimpered and slipped two fingers into his own mouth and Fenris watched interested as the blond slobbered them down properly with his own drool before twisting to reach and Fenris felt Anders' fingers slide into himself, so close to Fenris' own fingers. He easily stroke his own fingers softly over Anders' wrist to feel the movements as Anders was stretching himself out for Fenris' throbbing cock. 

Fuck if Anders' wasn't the hottest thing Fenris had ever seen, and he had to stop himself from just grabbing Anders and force the blond down at his cock. Anders had abandoned Fenris' cock in favor to use that hand to lean to Fenris' chest, giving the siren a firsthand view of Anders' face as the blond was working himself open. 

Fenris saw how the blond was biting his lips, felt the little puffs of air as he was panting against Fenris. He felt the hand tighten on his shoulder and Anders' face scrunching up as he apparently went  bit too fast in adding a second finger. Fenris leaned in and kissed hes neck and shoulder, up on his cheek and lips, trying to help chasing the pain away. 

"You are so good Anders, if you could only see your own face, biting your lips and..." Anders crashed their lips together with a needy whimper and a half groan. "You will look so good bouncing on my cock, I will keep you bouncing until you come undone, then I will fill you up until you're full of me." He murmured against Anders' lips. 

Anders moaned loudly and the little scrunch of his nose was long gone, replaced by pleasure. Fenris slipped his own throbbing cock out, couldn't resist the temptation to give himself a few teasing strokes, a promise of what was about to come. His cock was already slicked up, by precum and the usual slick his body produced to make mating easier in the sea. 

He used some of that slick to slide in to Anders' hardworking fingers to ease things up. Fenris was getting impatient and needy, just wanting Anders on his cock to see the blond come undone by pleasure until Anders cried out his name, he wanted to fuck Anders until they were both well spent and ready to take a nap. 

"Are you ready for that Anders? I want to be inside of you and I want it now." He growled and bit down on Anders shoulder. 

Anders yelped and moaned all in once over the bite that didn't quite draw blood, but close enough. It was on the same spot Fenris had bit him before, after the shark had attacked and he had tried to make Anders wake up. Now the bite was to hurry him up. Anders moaned another time before pulling out his fingers, whining at the loss but grasped both his hands to Fenris' shoulders.

"Please." The blond managed to squeak out with wide blown eyes "Fen, Fen! Need... ah ple-Ah!!" 

Fenris had grabbed Anders' hips and tugged him down without hesitation onto his aching cock. He had pushed past Anders' tight clenching ring of muscles without mercy and straight into the heat, all the way until Anders ass was firmly grounded against his scales. At once all his lyrium marks flared up and Anders gasped loudly. Weather it was due to the current of magic that washed through him or because he was suddenly impaled on Fenris' dick, the siren had no idea.

Nor did he care, all he cared about was to keep Anders still as the blond had tipped forwards with deep labored breaths, body tense while slowly adjusting to the change. When he felt Anders relax slightly he began small careful movements to let him get used to the feeling. No matter how much he wanted to pull Anders up then rush him back down, he'd wait with any actual bouncing until Anders began moaning. 

He didn't have to wait for long. 

"Ah! Yes! Ah, ah, ah Fen!" 

"You look so good Anders, so beautiful." He said encouraging between his own panting, moaning and the kisses they were sharing.

Fenris began stroking  Anders in time with the pace he was setting and it didn't take long until Anders coated their chests with white, crying out Fenris' name as he clench around Fenris' cock. Fenris in turn made a few more thrust while the stimuli made his knot swell until they were latched together and he came, deep and hard while keeping Anders still on top of him. 

This would take as long as it took before his body was done being attached to Anders' body. Anders just melted against his chest, trying to catch his breath, looking tired as if he had just swam across half the ocean. Fenris gently placed kisses into the blond hair to sooth him while mumbling soft little promises into the blond tresses, knowing his voice wouldn't have the same impact as earlier, not when they were mated. 

After a while he had to stop Anders from moving and grunted out a tired "Don't." Which earned him a whine and a lazy kiss. 

"Are you still coming?" Anders complained tiredly. "It feels odd."

"Just be still Anders or we'll both get hurt." Fenris sighed and let one hand stroke the blond hair.

"Hmm" 

That was all the reply he got before the blond fell asleep on him. Fenris shifted a pillow in behind his back before making them both as comfortable it would get before closing his eyes for a well earned nap.

Maybe tomorrow they'd try out the amulet for actual walking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got a little long, I planned on splitting it in half but it looked odd... sooooooo.... here y'all go!
> 
> Next chapter! Meeting up with Bethany, but will she be alone?


	20. Ambush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bethany arrives, but so does someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Yeah warnings in this chapter about assault, implications of underage assault in the past, but nothing too bad.
> 
> Sometimes even a good intention can lead to the wrong deed.

Anders squeaked a very unmanly squeak as his back was slammed heavily into a wall behind him in the alley the hooded stranger had pushed him into. 

He had been minding his own business, just having bought a bag of shrimps for Fenris and a box of oreos for himself and thought about buying something more food like for dinner when this hooded stranger had grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the closest alley out of sight from everyone else. His first thought was to scream for Fenris, but that wouldn't help much, the siren was probably still in the coffee shop where he had left him and Bethany in. 

Bethany had arrived that morning with Anders' things and she knew a professor that knew some things about magical theories and they were going to meet him when his classes were over. Since the room at the motel had been staring to feel cramped they had taken Fenris' out with them to a nice little coffee shop and the siren and Bethany  had stayed there to wait for the professor while Anders did their grocery shopping. 

A decision he was now regretting as a hand was muffling any noise he tried to make. 

Anders whimpered in terror as he was pressed to the wall, his mind going wild with suggestions as to who'm this might be. A henchman from Danarius, here to find Fenris, an Antivan crow to assassinating him for knowing too much, someone working for Meredith, a rapist, a robber or all of the above at the same time. Whoever it was, Anders was terrified. 

He nearly sobbed in relief when the hood was pulled down and Hawke's face showed up from under it. Anders pushed Hawke's hand away from his mouth and huffed, grabbing over his own heart in a try to calm the wild beating down. Why the hell had Hawke decided to freak him the hell out, and how had he even found Anders? Bethany said she'd come alone.

"Fuck Hawke! Do you want me to die of a bloody heart attack?" He snapped at Hawke in annoyance.

"Why didn't you tell me his voice could manipulate minds?" Hawke hissed as he pressed Anders a bit tighter to the wall. 

"What? Hawke, what the hell! Let me go."

Anders felt the panic rise back up again when he tried to struggle away but Hawke was holding him too tight against the wall. Something wasn't right with Hawke, he looked pissed off, something strange glazing his eyes like a mist of something... odd. Whatever it was, this wasn't okay and Anders couldn't believe it was happening, not again, not by Hawke.

Anders had a hard time with being restricted. He didn't like to be trapped, held down even by just hands. It brought back bad memories and made him want to throw up. Now was not an exception.

"The siren! He talks to you, doesn't he? That's why you are so attached to him." Hawke prodded, still holding too hard, too tight. "He put as spell on your minds!" 

"That's not... Hawke! He uses sign, he only speak a little." Anders said, trying to keep his calm but the panic searched is way into his voice anyway.

"He talks to you until he get to fuck you, don't he? Don't you fucking see he's in your head?" Hawke asked angrily. 

"What I do with my boyfriend is none of your business, let me go!" 

Hawke scoffed then pushed forwards, pressing his lips against Anders' and Anders just stared at Hawke without returning the kiss. Something was wrong, real fucking wrong, this wasn't the Hawke he knew, Anders didn't know what or who this was. Hawke was a tease and a flirt but he wasn't... well, this. Never violent, always listening to a no. 

"Boyfriend? Anders, he's a fish!" 

"He's a person and he isn't the one hurting me right now." Anders said trying to keep calm. 

But keeping calm was hard with Hawke pressing him to the wall, breathing against Anders' lips and the anger the other man was displaying was terrifying. Anders' heart was racing like mad and his lungs felt too small, he couldn't fit enough air into them. At the same time his brain was sending out waves of panic and distress, fighting his calm with vengeance. 

"I'm sorry..." Hawke said with wide eyes and let him go, even taking a step back.

Anders took a deep breath, the distance between them felt like if he finally was able to breath and he closed his eyes while gulping deeply for air. His hands were shaking at his sides where he balled them into fists and he was desperately fighting every ting his body was doing. He wanted to run, hide, curl up and cry, but he just stood, trying to breath evenly. Five seconds in, ten out. Five in, ten out. 

"Anders... You know I am doing this for you don't you...? Sometimes friends have to stop their friends from doing stupid things... if I don't get you away... Fenris will kill you and I just. I can't allow that. This guy told me all about how sirens lure their victims and... I just can't let you die, even if you will hate me afterwards. I'm sorry." 

Anders was about to answer when Hawke's hand was back over his mouth, this time with a cloth, covering both his lips and his nose. Anders opened his eyes in fear and horror as the world was beginning to get dizzy around him. He wanted to scream, to fight, to struggle but his body was getting familiarly heavy and all he could do was slide with Hawke down towards the ground, trying to fight to stay awake.

A bright flash of purple light lit up the alley, hurling Hawke backwards, making the cloth vanish and Anders could breath in air again. He slumped back against the wall in confusion as a man in fancy clothes positioned himself in between Anders and Hawke, but more importantly another person was suddenly between him and Hawke, a person who glowed blue and had long shock white hair falling over his shoulders.

Anders probably hadn't been as happy to see anyone as he was to see Fenris in his entire life. He hadn't even been this relieved the time Justice had come to get him from Kinloch. Anders sobbed out his relief as Fenris deep green eyes were just in front of his own, the soft pulses that came in little waves over his skin.  A soft sparkling feeling to his forehead as Fenris' forehead rested against his own, the three little lyrium dots inviting him to use his magic. 

"Heal yourself Anders." He heard Fenris deep voice mumble to him caring.

Anders didn't want to do any healing now. He just wanted to sleep and Fenris was right there, he could sleep on Fenris, he used to do that. He slumped forwards and tucked his head down against his sirens shoulder mumbling unintelligibly before he slipped off to that highly inviting sleep. 

If Fenris was there, he was safe to sleep.


	21. The end of an era

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decisions are to be made and the last chapter is here.

"Are you certain you wish to do this?" Fenris asked with his deep rich voice that Anders had come to love above any voice in the world.

Ever since they had  _mated_ as Fenris called it, Fenris voice didn't have the same impact as it had before. Before, that voice had made Anders surge to Fenris' lips without himself having any control over it, it had made him crave Fenris' lips, his hands, his body, his dick, and there was nothing Anders could have done to fight it. 

Now Fenris' voice was just really pleasant to listen to and he always got the urge to curl up with the siren and just lazily kiss him for the rest of their lives. Hearing Fenris' voice made Anders smile, calmed him and made him feel loved in a way he was rather certain he hadn't ever before. It was nice, to be able to hear Fenris' voice without feeling the need to ravish him. It was especially nice to be able to have a conversation with Fenris in any situation where Anders couldn't look at Fenris' hands. Like if they were driving or if it was dark around them.

Fenris of course still spoke very little around other people when they were out grocery shopping for example. Even when Fenris were in his more human shape other people around them would be drawn by his voice, especially singles. When Fenris had his tail he still couldn't chat with other people without affecting them, not even through skype. They had tried that **once**.

"Meet the man who cheated on me, drugged me and intended to kidnap me for my own good, because a crazy mage had put a blood magic spell on him to control his minds. A man I haven't seen or spoken to in three years?"

Anders sighed deeply and leaned back against Fenris' strong chest more comfortably. They were sitting out on their small private beach in the sun, the end of Fenris' tail was dipped into the water and Anders was sitting on the sand leaned to his siren. His legs was laying over Fenris' slightly curved tail and the scales felt soft under his naked legs. 

For three years the two of them had lived together. Cuddling like this with his siren had become Anders' everyday and he didn't find the scales even a little strange anymore. Of course sometimes, when it was too cold outside or bad weather and they were bored of the pool Fenris and Anders would sit curled up on the couch, Fenris' tail turned to legs so he wouldn't dry out.

The amulet however only worked for so long, he could have his legs for a maximum of thirty hours, then his tail would return whether Fenris' wanted it or not and he wouldn't be able to turn the tail into legs again unless he waited for a day. Not that either of them minded, Fenris' tail was beautiful and Anders had solved their sleeping arrangements with an inflatable pool, a lot of blankets and pillows and duct tape.

Today though, was a comfortably sunny day and they were both happy to enjoy it on their private tiny beach by the edge of the water line. The only thing that Anders wasn't happy about this day was the call from Bethany, asking them for help with a new formed organization called the Inquisition, lead by a man who claimed to be an elf, by the ears, Anders didn't doubt it.

He would have doubted it before, suggested surgery and such. But now, now he lived with a siren, a siren who had confirmed that he wasn't the only thing not human out there. The elf had help by a woman from the seekers of truth, (an organization as secret and mysterious as Illuminati) The left hand of the Divine, An Antivan ambassador and Cullen. 

A lot had changed in the world since that day three years ago in Skyhold when Hawke had attacked him. Anders and Fenris had left the country, they hadn't told anyone where they left to and only kept in contact with Bethany, Varric, Merrill and Dorian. Dorian was the professor they had been meant to meet that day, he was also the man who had stepped in to save Anders from Hawke. 

Dorian was another mage, and during these three years they had kept in contact through Skype and phone calls, Dorian teaching Anders magical theory and how to use his new found powers. Together with Fenris' willing participation Anders and the siren were a force to be reckoned with. Together they could make spells that other mages could only dream about. 

And Magic was the reason the inquisition was needed. Not Anders' magic per say, but mages and magic at all. The display at the aquarium, Fenris, Danarius, Anders and the magic, it had all come out to light. People had learnt that they weren't as alone as they thought and it had become a hot subject in an instant. People doing what the mankind did best, lashed out to the unknown and wanted it gone. 

Luckily there was more mages in the world that Anders had thought and many of them had been well connected with each other. Merrill sheepishly had admitted that every wiccan in Thedas were connected to this network and had known about magic from before. There had been a resistance and yet so far it hadn't lead to open war, but it was definitely stirring in the horizon. 

Not that Anders or Fenris had been touched much by it. They had found their secluded spot, lived comfortable lives with a minimum of magic. They had ignored what went on around them because there was nothing they could do about it. It wasn't like if it would do anyone any good if they drove back to Kirkwall to join the debates about magic and what to do with it. 

But now, now something was up, and the inquisition needed people. 

"Mostly, I just don't want this to end." He said after a while in silence. "Selfish I suppose. I know we have to go but... I just don't want to." 

Fenris wrapped his arms better around him and Anders closed his eyes silently. "We could stay." Fenris said softly. 

"We can't we are partly to blame for this whole mess. Not that we choose it but that day at the museum... we changed the world and we can't let others pay for it. The inquisition need us." Anders said and sighed.

"Will Dorian join?" Fenris asked and kissed on his shoulder.

"He thinks so, and his husband, their daughter is possibly possessing magic and Dorian don't want her to be forced to hide it." Anders said and sighed. "We wouldn't have to hide anymore. We wouldn't have to worry someone seeing your tail or seeing me heat my food with magic." 

"But you don't want to see Hawke." Fenris said, leaning his head softly to Anders' shoulder.

Anders sighed and stroke his fingers over the dark scales of Fenris' tail, brushing away some stray sand that had dried there after Fenris had dragged himself up in the sand. He loved touching Fenris' tail, trailing over the scales, or tracing the lyrium. It was relaxing and a comfort. 

"Not really. But Bethany says Hawke has changed, gotten better. Cullen is good for him." 

Fenris pulled lightly at Anders' wrist and Anders shifted around until he was straddling Fenris' tail over the hips and was pulled in for a soft gentle kiss. Anders sighed with a smile and put his hands gently to Fenris' cheeks, letting his fingers brush into the white long hair and he let his thumbs stroke up over Fenris' pointy ears, stroking over the metal of the earring. 

They had matching earrings. Anders hadn't worn one for years but when Fenris had found the hole he had showed Fenris how he looked with a gold hoop through it. Fenris had liked it and after a year together he had wanted a matching one. It was a bit like marriage, Anders used to think. They had their rings, only not on their fingers but it fitted them in some way, their bond was more than just some chantry vows. 

Fenris let out that usual happy chirping noise as he always did when Anders was touching his ears and for a moment Anders could forget all about the future. He needed nothing more than Fenris' happy and content noises to be happy himself. He just needed his love and he had him, right in front of him, compared to Fenris, the world was grey.

"Whatever you choose Anders, I remain at your side."

"I know love, and I am so lucky to have met you."

They spent rest of the day kissing and cuddling on the beach. Deciding whether they were to join this new inquisition for the sake of mages and none-humans all over Thedas could wait until tomorrow. Today everything was perfect.

Today, there was nothing but them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm isn't this familiar... Sorry about this ending really but my muse for this fic has been slowly going to the path of horribly uninterested so I figured I'd give you kind of a midpoint ending. 
> 
> One day I will come back to this most likely, what happens after Anders and Fenris joins the inquisition, what they are fighting against and all of those things. But, for now, I hope you enjoy this ending! 
> 
> I can't believe how many kudos this things got and all the nice comments and things you guys have said about it. I am eternally grateful for all kind words and support! You are all amazing and thank you so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm lost at mermen, sirens and Fenders. I shouldn't be doing another fic about it but I so desperately wanted a fic where Anders was the human and well, here it is. 
> 
> I don't know how quick I will update since I have work but I will try to make it once a week.
> 
> Comments and Kudos as always are appreciated and keeps me writing since I then will know if you like it or not! :)


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